Salvation: Our Love, Our Legacy
by Michelle Heath
Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family faces challenges that will make them all re-evaluate their lives.
1. Chapter 1

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. Sam, Steve and the Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 13, 2011**

(U.S. Navy Commander Samantha McGarrett hits the send button on her computer and waits until receiving confirmation that the document she just emailed to the Pentagon went through without any problems. Satisfied that she beat the deadline for that particular report by two days, Sam turns her chair so she is facing forward and picks up a folder from the top of her desk glancing at the clock as she does so. Sam is four and a half months pregnant with her first baby and she has a doctor's appointment at the base hospital at 1300 hours. Realizing that she has plenty of time since it's only just now 1100 hours, Sam opens the folder but doesn't have the chance to start looking over its contents because her phone rings.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to check in on you and the baby."

"Honestly, Steve, we're doing as well as we were an hour ago when you called to check on us. I thought Mom had a little talk with you about behaving."

"Your mom didn't have a little talk with me, Sam; she issued orders like I imagine Gen. Patton did during World War II. Trust me; I am not going to make an idiot of myself like I did when Kono was pregnant. . . I just. . . I just needed to hear your voice, Sweetheart."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. . . It's just that. . . Since you've been pregnant, I. . . Well, I've come to realize that you and our baby are the dearest, most precious people in the world to me, and I've been thinking about what a very blessed man I am."

"Oh, Steve."

"So, am I forgiven for calling you every hour?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay, then, how about lunch at the O Club?"

"Works for me. I'm all caught up on my reports and my doctor's appointment is. ."

"At 1300 hours. I'm going with you."

"Oh, Steve."

"You know, as much as I like hearing you say that when we're making love, this way works for me, too."

"Oh, Ste. . . Nope, not gonna do it again. You coming to pick me up or do you want me to meet you at the O Club?"

"Coming to pick you up. I'll be there around 1145 hours. . . Sam, I love you."

"Love you, too, Steve. And, Steve? Feel free to call me whenever you want to; I need to hear your voice, too."

(Hanging up the phone, Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett, head of the Governor's Task Force for the state of Hawaii, drops his feet from the top of his desk and heads out of his office. Danny and Chin are standing in front of the smart table arguing about which one of them made little Eric Montgomery smile the night before when they all had dinner at Kono's and Tony's. Little Eric's mother is standing at one end of the table with her arms crossed in front of her looking on in amusement. When Kono sees Steve, she just rolls her eyes and tries not to laugh. Steve, however, doesn't have as much restraint as Kono and can't resist throwing out a smart-assed comment.)

"You guys didn't learn anything from Gracie, did you? Eric's only three months old; he smiles because he has gas!"

"He smiled because I, . ._We_ made him smile, Steven. And speaking of my daughter, did you tell Grace to tell me and Caroline to have a baby?"

"Danny, the night of my birthday party, Grace wanted me to talk to you and tell you that _she _wanted you and Caroline to have a baby. I suggested that she tell you two she wanted a little brother or sister and you guys might be willing to think about it. Although, even though my niece is perfect, the thought of you procreating again sends chills down my spine."

"Ohhh! The only reason my niece or nephew is going to be perfect is because Sam is the baby's mother! God help us if the baby's anything like you!"

"Oh, really? Don't think I'm not going to be watching you like a hawk once the baby's born, because I will be! If my child develops a love for all things Jersey and hates pineapples, I'm going to kill you!"

"Pineapple boy!"

"Moron!"

"And you two wonder why I cringe every time you are anywhere near my son."

(And Steve and Danny, who are standing about two feet apart, both snap their heads around to look at Kono with fierce frowns on their faces and yell, "Hey!" at the exact same time. Of course, they were so busy arguing, that they missed the impish grin that flashed across her face before she spoke.)

"You two are more alike than you want to admit."

"Perish the thought!" 

"You know what? I don't have time for this. I'm taking my wife to lunch and then going to her doctor's appointment with her."

(But Steve is grinning as he walks to the elevators. Life is good and it's about to get way better because he is only about twenty minutes away from the love of his life and the mother of his child.)

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Here's the next installment of the Salvation series and it's going to focus mostly on Sam and Steve. Of course, the rest of the gang will be present throughout. I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my stories. I appreciate you all so very much. Please feel free to send me a PM if you have any ideas you would like me to include in the story. I can't guarantee I will be able to incorporate you're suggestions, but I will do my best! Thanks, again! Michelle**


	2. Chapter 2

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 13, 2011**

(Steve walks in Sam's office at twenty minutes to twelve and finds Sam on the phone. The frown that had been on her face immediately turns into a bright smile when she sees her husband, and she finishes her conversation and hangs up the phone. Sam's baby bump isn't all that big yet, but Steve still feels a purely masculine spurt of pride when she stands up and he sees the visible evidence of their love. Sam's maternity uniform is actually very attractive on her, something that both she and Caroline swore wasn't possible, and he makes a mental note to make sure and tell them both they were wrong. Sam grabs her cover, stops by the Admiral's secretary's desk and lets her know she's going to lunch and then her doctor's appointment, and they're out the door. The drive from the Flight Operations building to the Officer's Club is not a very long one and they are soon seated at a table which overlooks part of the golf course. As soon as their server has taken their orders and headed off to the kitchen, Steve reaches across the table and takes Sam's hand in his, absently playing with her wedding and engagement rings as he looks into her eyes,)

"At the risk of repeating myself, are you okay, Steve?"

"Yeah, Sam. I'm fine. In fact, I'm better than fine. I'm great. I'm married to a drop-dead gorgeous, smart, sexy woman who is the love of my life and we're going to have a baby in a few months. I'm in awe of the fact that we, you and I, have made this miracle."

"Wow. . . . Sexy? Seriously?"

"Yeah, Beautiful, sexy. Do you have any idea what it does to me when I look at you knowing you're carrying my child?"

"You do realize that we're sitting in the middle of the Officer's Club, I'm in uniform and on duty, and we have to go to the hospital from here, right?"

"Yeah."

"You're killing me, Steve, absolutely killing me."

(But his answer is to shoot her one of his trademark, sexy little grins that she loves, and she can't help but smile back at him. Their lunch arrives and the topic of conversation changes.)

"Are you and Libby still going shopping after you get off duty this afternoon?"

"Yep. We're going in search of linens for the crib and cushions for the rocking chair."

"So, are you two going to eat while you're out?"

"Not sure. Did you have something in mind?"

"Thought I'd pick up some steaks and we could grill out. Tell you what, I'll call your dad and he and I will work on dinner while you and Libby go shopping."

"Deal."

(Sam and Steve finish lunch and head to the base hospital for Sam's appointment. They don't have to wait long before Lt. Cmdr. Denning, Sam's obstetrician, joins them in one of the examining rooms and they both smile as they listen to their baby's heartbeat. The exam is completed shortly thereafter and Lt. Cmdr. Denning talks with Sam and Steve.)

"Everything is right on schedule, Cmdr. McGarrett. I must say that you are the most disgustingly healthy patient I've ever had, and I mean that as a compliment. I know you have to be in top physical condition to be a fighter pilot, and that's going to work in your favor with the pregnancy and the delivery."

"Good to know, but shouldn't the baby be kicking by now?"

"You're actually seventeen weeks along, Commander and that's around the time most mothers start to really be able to feel their baby kicking or pushing with their little hands. As I said, you're in excellent condition and you've been attending those prenatal exercise classes I recommended, so there's nothing for you to worry about. The baby's heartbeat is strong. You should start feeling the baby kicking soon. Now, I want you back in here in three weeks for an ultrasound, and of course, please call me if you have any problems."

(And assured that everything is fine, Sam and Steve head back to the Flight Ops building where he walks her inside, shuts the door to her office, and proceeds to kiss her senseless. By the time he lets her go, Steve's grinning and Sam's frowning.)

"Damn it, Steve, why do you _always_ do that when you can't finish what you've started?"

"Couldn't help myself. Besides, now you've got something to look forward to when you get home, Beautiful."

"Really? Did you forget that I'm meeting Mom when I get off duty and you and Dad are going to cook dinner while we shop?"

"Damn. . . Well, now we both have something to look forward to once they go home."

"Go back to work, Steve. I have to think straight this afternoon. Love you."

"Love you, too, Sam."

(Steve and Mike have everything ready except for actually putting the steaks on the grill when Sam and Libby get to the McGarrett's around seven-thirty. As Sam met her mother as soon as she got off work, she's still in her uniform and heads upstairs to change while Libby joins her husband and son-in-law on the McGarrett's back deck.)

"Did you and Sam find what you were looking for, Libby?"

"We did. We found the most beautiful cushions for the rocker and we bought every set of Beatrix Potter© sheets they had for the crib. I'm so glad you and Sam decided to use that motif, Steve. The nursery looks wonderful with those pale, muted green walls and the wallpaper border and those beautiful wall hangings. And I was wrong, I thought you two were making a mistake with the oak furniture instead of white, but the oak is absolutely perfect."

"Thanks, Libby. . . I'm going to go inside and check on Sam and get the steaks. Be right back."

(Libby sits down next to Mike on the outdoor loveseat and silently shakes her head. Mike sees it and can't help but smile.)

"It's all right, Libby. Sam's not going to kill him or even yell at him."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"Because she knows that we men tend to go a little crazy when our wives are carrying our children and . . . She loves him."

"That she does. . . She said Steve went to her doctor's appointment with her today; took her to lunch at the O Club before that, and he held her hand nearly the entire time they were together."

"Boy's got a bad case of it, Libby, so does she, but we knew that years ago"

"They're going to be wonderful parents, Mike."

(Steve reaches the door to their bedroom in time to hear a loud gasp coming from inside and is through the door like a streak of lightning. He stops when he sees Sam standing by their bed with both hands on her abdomen and a strange look on her face. Scared to death that something's wrong with her or the baby, Steve rushes to her but she stops him, grabs his hand, and places it on her baby bump. For a moment, he looks at her questioningly but then he feels it; the sheer joy on his face at feeling their child moving inside Sam's body for the first time is reflected on hers and he kisses her softly as their child settles down.)


	3. Chapter 3

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 14, 2011**

(Sam and Steve head back downstairs and find that Mike has already retrieved the steaks from the refrigerator and has just put them on the grill. Libby has also pulled the vegetables out and started to steam them. There's really nothing left for either Sam or Steve to do but sit out on the deck and relax which is exactly what they do. Mike watches his daughter and her husband with an indulgent smile on his face as they sit on the loveseat with Steve's arm around Sam, her head on his shoulder, and her hand absently rubbing her baby bump as they quietly talk; frequent smiles punctuating their conversation. After turning the steaks, Mike sits down in one of the chairs across from them.)

"How are you feeling, Sweetheart?"

"Good, Dad, no, actually, I feel great. Steve and I just felt the baby kick for the first time."

"I remember that. The first time Caroline kicked your mother, I was positive she was a boy. Your sister had a serious set of legs on her even then."

"Did she cry a lot when she was a baby?"

"Not overly much, Sam. Why?"

" 'Cause she's got a serious mouth on her now."

"No, Beautiful, that would be Danny."

"And the two of you don't? That's the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?"

"Yeah, okay, Dad, you're right, but you still love us."

"Yes, I do, Sam, very much. So, now that you've got the door cut through from the nursery to your bedroom, have painted, put up the wallpaper, and wall hangings, and have the furniture, what do you have left to do in the nursery?"

"Nothing, and if Libby keeps buying baby outfits and stuffed animals every time she leaves the house, we won't have a need for any of those things, either."

"Come on, Steve, Mom got Gracie at nine. This is her first grandchild as a baby. Of course, she's going to spoil the baby rotten."

"I have news for you, Sam, if you think your mother's bad now, just wait until that baby is born. She's already talking about getting a few essentials for our house."

"Such as?"

"A baby bed, changing table, chest of drawers, etc., etc., etc."

"You're kidding?"

"No, Honey, I'm not. Your mother plans on Baby McGarrett spending a lot of time at our house. Why are you frowning, Sam?"

"It occurred to me today that we need to start looking for a sitter. I mean I should be able to take enough leave once the baby's born to get through the first three months or so, but I'm going to have to go back to active duty eventually."

"Don't let your mother hear you say anything about a sitter, Sam. She'll go ballistic!"

"Dad, we can't ask you and Mom to watch the baby while we're at work. That wouldn't be fair to you."

"Why don't you let your mother and I decide what would be fair to us?"

"He's got a point, Sam."

"Okay. We'll just shelve this discussion for the time being. How much longer on those steaks, Dad? I'm starving."

"They should be just about ready, Sam."

(After dinner, Sam and Steve resume their positions on the love seat while Libby and Mike sit in the two matching chairs across from them and Steve and Mike get into a discussion about Petty Officer Dean Dodd who was injured on an op just before little Eric's birth. The young man sustained a serious head injury and spent three weeks at the base hospital at Ramstein before being flown back to Pearl. In the three months since his injury, he's made remarkable progress and is about to complete his rehab. However, after talking with his wife, he's decided to transfer out of the teams and is being reassigned state side. During the course of this conversation, Sam falls asleep with her head on Steve's shoulder and Libby smiles as she motions at Steve. Wordlessly, he gently shifts Sam's body into his arms and carries her upstairs to their bedroom. After laying her gently on their bed, he heads back downstairs to find his in-laws getting ready to leave.)

"I've never seen Sam do that before."

"She's carrying a growing baby, Son. Saps your energy when you least expect it. A good night's sleep will do her good. You have yourself a good rest of the evening."

"Thanks, again, Libby; for everything. It means a lot to me to have you and Mike in my life."

"I know it does, Steve. You mean a great deal to us, too, dear. Just take care of our daughter and our grandchild."

"Count on it."

(After locking up the house, Steve heads back upstairs and smiles as he watches Sam sleep. She's wearing a pair of pale yellow maternity shorts and an oversized white sleeveless tee and looks so beautiful lying with her body curled slightly inward and a hand lying protectively on her baby bump. As much as Steve hates to wake her, he knows she would be more comfortable in a gown, so he sits beside her on the bed and leans over to kiss her softly. When her sleepy eyes open and she smiles up at him, he explains that she needs to change clothes and helps her do just that. Once she's settled comfortably under the covers and nestled up close to him, she promptly falls asleep again and Steve just enjoys watching her. The thought that his behavior is anything but SEAL-like crosses his mind but he doesn't care. Besides, no one's there to see him acting all goofy and he _is_ an expectant father, so he just lets go and enjoys the moment.)


	4. Chapter 4

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 14, 2011**

(Sam awakens the next morning well before the alarm goes off but lies perfectly still and keeps her eyes closed. Steve is talking to the baby and she wants to hear what he has to say.)

"So that's how Mommy and Daddy met. 'Course Daddy knew Mommy was the one for him right then, but your Mommy took her dear, sweet time figuring out she wanted to marry me. Anyway, she finally did and now you're on your way. . . Daddy loves you very much, you know. I mean, I know I haven't seen you and you haven't seen me, yet, but I still love you, little guy, er, girl. . . You know, I think I'm going to have a talk with your mother about finding out if you're a boy or girl. She wants to wait and be surprised, but I'm not so sure that's a good idea. After all, I'd hate to call you 'little guy' and you turn out to be a girl, or call you 'little girl' and you turn out to be a boy."

"Do you really want to find out what we're having, Steve?"

"Good morning, Beautiful, and no, we do not have to find out."

"Then why did you tell the baby you were going to talk to me about it? If you really want to know, fine."

"No, Sam, it's okay, really. I can wait."

"Then quit lying to the baby!"

"I didn't lie to the baby."

"Yes, you did. I heard you. You said, and I quote, 'You know, I think I'm going to have a talk with your mother about finding out if you're a boy or girl. She wants to be surprised, but I'm not so sure that's a good idea.'"

"I didn't lie to the baby, Sam, I just . "

"Lied. To. Our. Baby!"

(Steve immediately becomes aware that something is very, very "off" with Sam this morning, and he starts to feel uncertain.)

"Sam, Sweetheart, I swear that I did not mean to lie to the baby. Really."

"Well, you did."

"I apologize, Sam."

"Apologize to the baby!"

"Um, okay. . . Daddy's sorry, baby, I so did not mean to give you incorrect information. I'll be more careful in the future. Promise."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. What can I make you for breakfast?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine, Steve. You know what I like. I'm going to get in the shower."

(And Steve, still feeling unsure of himself, heads downstairs to start breakfast and make a phone call. He is very antsy until his father-in-law answers the phone sounding a little sleepy.)

"Steve?"

"Hey, Mike. Listen I need some intel."

"Of course, Son. What do you need to know?"

"Do, um, do pregnant women ever have moments of, um, temporary insanity? "Cause there's a strange, evil demon in Sam's body this morning. . . . . Mike? . . . . Are you there?"

(But Mike Thrasher is doing his best not to laugh in his son-in-law's face and his whole body is shaking with the effort. Libby, having been awakened by the phone ringing, sits up in bed and looks at her husband like he's lost his mind. Mike finally manages to get himself under some semblance of control and answers Steve after the third loudly and somewhat panicked, "Mike!".)

"I'm here, Steve. What's my daughter doing?"

"Well, she, um, happened to wake up while I was talking to the baby, and. ."

"You were talking to the baby?"

"Well, yeah. . . Anyway, Sam woke up while I was talking to the baby and she accused me of lying to the baby and had a fit."

"Did you lie to the baby?"

"Well, no. It was just a misunderstanding. You see. . . "

(And Steve launches into a rather detailed explanation of what happened and Mike and Libby, who is listening in, are both about to roll in the floor laughing. By the time Steve is finished and is all but begging Mike to tell him how to get back in Sam's good graces, both the Thrashers have tears of mirth in their eyes.)

"So, I'm not sure exactly how to proceed here, Mike. Got any suggestions?"

(But before Mike can say a word, both he and Libby hear Sam's voice in the background.)

"Not sure how to proceed with what, Steve?"

"Um, hey, Sweetheart, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. 

"Not hardly! You haven't even started breakfast! Not only have you lied to our child this morning, but now you've lied to me!"

"I have not!"

"Yes, Steve, you have. And why are you talking to my father, anyway?"

"I always talk to your father, Sam, is that a problem?"

"Of course not! I completely get that you think talking to my father is much more important than making breakfast for your pregnant wife!"

"Damn it, Sam! I did not say that!"

"You didn't have to!"

(And now neither Mike nor Libby can stop the laughter from exploding and Steve hears it immediately.)

"You two think this is funny? World War III is about to break out over here and you two are laughing? May I remind you that this evil demon who has taken control of my wife is also in control of your grandchild!"

"Steve. . . Son. . . Sam's just experiencing a little. . . Mood swing. She'll be fine soon and all will be forgiven and forgotten. You just need to have a little patience and, for God's sake, agree with everything she says."

"What?"

"Just do it, Son. Trust me. It will be so much easier on you in the long run."

"Just what is that supposed to mean, Mike?"

"Uh oh. Gotta go, Steve. Call me back if you need any more help."


	5. Chapter 5

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 14, 2011**

(Completely amazed that his father-in-law hung up on him, Steve dumbly stares at his cellular phone for a couple of minutes before in sinks in that Mike's left him high and dry! Trying to figure out what to do now, Steve takes a step toward the stairs before turning around and heading back toward the refrigerator, but a very loud and painfully uttered, "Ow!" causes his heart to jump up into his throat and he tears up the stairs to the master bedroom. Skidding to a halt just inside the door, Steve sees Sam calmly putting on her uniform and looking just fine.)

"What happened?"

"What do you mean, 'what happened'?"

"I heard you yelling in pain, Sam. What happened?"

"Like you care."

"I do care! What happened?"

"Nothing. I'm fine and the baby's fine, although we're both starving."

"Sam, it won't take me ten minutes to get breakfast ready. I'll just go back downstairs and take care of it while you finish getting ready."

"I _am_ ready!"

"Fine, then you can keep me company while I work on breakfast."

"I don't want to intrude on your morning phone calls! Don't worry about McBaby and me, we'll just pick something up on the way to the base!"

" 'McBaby'?"

"Yes, Steve, McBaby. Since you obviously have an issue with what to call our baby because we don't know the gender, I've decided we're going to call our little one 'McBaby' until he or she arrives!"

(And Steve snorts which causes Sam to send a death glare in his direction. Stupid man doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut, though, and obviously promptly forgot what Mike just told him on the phone about agreeing with whatever Sam says.)

"So, are you and _Mc_Baby going to get a _Mc_Muffin from _Mc_Donald's for breakfast?"

"You're an ass, you know that?"

"You love my ass, Sam."

"I'm going to _kick_ your ass, Steve!"

(They have been rapid-fire back and forth from the bedroom, down the stairs, out to the driveway, and now they're at Sam's Porsche. Tossing her briefcase into the passenger seat, Sam gets in, puts on her seatbelt, and starts the car. She then shifts into reverse and backs up about six feet before slamming on the brakes, and pulling back up to where a still snickering Steve is standing with his hands on his hips. Getting out of the car, Sam grabs his face, pulls him down, kisses him hard and fast, gets back in the car, and actually leaves. Steve stands there grinning like an idiot for a few moments thinking Sam can't be that mad at him; after all, she did make sure to kiss him goodbye. Of course, a minute later he's frowning again and tries to think of who he can call for advice. Mike is obviously out as it appears he said something to piss Libby off and is now probably groveling to get back in her good graces. Chin is absolutely no help because he's never been an expectant father. Danny would definitely laugh at him and never let him live it down, so that leaves . . . YES! Pulling out his cellular phone, Steve hits a speed dial and waits impatiently for an answer as he goes back into the house.)

"Lt. Montgomery."

"How do I get rid of the damned alien who's taken over my wife?"

"Is she crying, totally pissed at you, or throwing things?"

"I knew I'd called the right man. She's totally pissed at me; started an argument with me for absolutely no reason this morning."

"Look, Boss, the best advice I can give you is to just agree with everything she says; no matter what it is."

"How long is this going to last?"

"A while."

"Damn."

"Yeah. I just _thought_ being a SEAL was hard. Trust me, the hardest thing any man will _ever_ do is keep his pregnant wife happy. Hell Week and tangos have nothing on a pregnant woman."

"Anything else I should know about, Lieutenant?"

"Plenty, but I think I'll let you find out for yourself. Don't want to spoil all your fun."

"_Tony!_"

"Look Steve, all those pregnancy hormones do weird things to a woman. It's not just her body that's changing; it's her emotional state, too, and you just have to, and I know this is going to be really, _really_ hard for you, but you're just going to have to _extremely patient_. Trust me, it's definitely worth it.

(Sam is still royally pissed at Steve by the time she arrives at the base, but she's determined to put a smile on her face and exude a pleasant disposition. After all, it isn't everyone else's fault her husband is an idiot. She heads into her office and turns on her computer and starts looking over the items in her in box while she's waiting for her computer to boot up. As she reads, the anger slowly recedes and she starts to get upset. Five minutes later, she grabs her cellular phone and hits the speed dial for her husband."

"Hey, Beautiful."

"I need you to come to the base. _Right! Now!_"

"What's wrong, Sam? Are you all right?"

"Just come to the base, Steve!"

"Hang on, Sweetheart, I'll be right there!"

(Fear grabs Steve's heart as he drives like a maniac to reach Sam and he starts mentally cursing himself for being such an . . . Ass to her. By the time he literally flies into her office, he's convinced himself that she's having a miscarriage. Rocketing through her door, Steve stops dead still and an incredulous look comes over his face. Sam is on the phone, sitting in a very relaxed and comfortable position, and she's actually _laughing_. She finishes her conversation, hangs up her desk phone, calmly gets up and walks around her desk and straight over to him. So frightened is he that something's wrong with her or the baby that's he's physically shaking.)

"What the Hell, Sam? You call me and tell me you need me right this second and I think something's wrong with you or the baby and you're calmly sitting there _laughing?"_

(And Sam promptly bursts into tears and throws herself into Steve's arms further confusing the Hell out of him.)

"Oh, Steve! I acted like a complete fool this morning and I had to see you immediately to tell you I'm sorry and I love you with all my heart!"

(The adrenaline that was pumping furiously through Steve's bloodstream disappears instantly and his shaking gets even worse. Wrapping his arms around Sam's trembling body, he takes a deep breath and tries to get a grip."

"It's all right, Sam. I know you weren't really mad at me. I love you, too, Sweetheart."

"But I . . Acted like a . . Total idiot."

"It's okay, Baby. It's all those pregnancy hormones in your system. It's not your fault."

(Well, _that_ was totally the wrong thing to say because, before he can blink, Sam has pushed herself away from him, hit him on the arm, hard, and her tears have completely dried up.)

"So it's the baby's fault! Steve McGarrett, how dare you blame our sweet baby!"

"Damn it, Sam, I'm _not_ blaming our baby!"

"Now you're cursing at me!"

"I'm not cursing at you. I'm cursing because I'm frustrated!"

"I'm sorry if McBaby and I frustrate you!"

"I didn't say you and McBaby frustrated me, Sam, I just said I'm frustrated!"


	6. Chapter 6

"**Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 15, 2011**

(Steve strides into the Five-0 offices with a dark scowl on his face and a "do not mess with me" attitude exuding from every pore. A quick glance at the clock tells him that while he's not late, he's a whole lot later than usual. Everyone else is in his or her office and Steve heads straight for his without looking in anyone's direction. Once in his office, he sits down in his desk chair, puts his feet up on his desk, puts his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling. Danny, Kono, and Chin all saw him come in, saw the scowl on his face, and had no trouble picking up on his attitude even with their office doors closed. Kono picks up her desk phone and hits the intercom button for Chin's office.)

"What do you think _that's_ about?"

"Don't know and I'm not going in there to ask."

"Well, don't you think someone should?"

"Okay, Cuz, you go right ahead."

"Un uh, I may be concerned but I'm not stupid. I'll get back with you in a minute."

(Kono then proceeds to buzz Danny's office.)

"What's up with Steve?"

"Don't know. Why don't you go ask him?"

"What is it with you and Chin? You guys think I have a death wish?"

"Well, you're the one who wants to know what's wrong with Steve."

"You know what? You're absolutely right."

(And Kono gets up and walks into Steve's office. He looks over at her when she walks through the door and Danny and Chin suddenly appear to be almost glued to the glass walls of their offices.)

"What's up, Boss?"

"First of all, you know I love Sam more than life, right?"

"Um, yeah."

" 'Kay. Just wanted to make sure you knew that; don't want any confusion about my feelings for my wife."

"O-kay."

"That said, will you please help me understand how Sam can be all sweet and loving one minute and mad as Hell at me the next?"

(And just like that, Kono knows exactly what's wrong with Steve.)

"Maybe you should tell me what happened this morning, Steve."

(And he proceeds to do just that. Kono has to work really hard not to laugh outright at several points in Steve's recitation of the morning's events with his wife. When he's through, he looks directly at her with an expression of honest confusion on his face and Kono takes pity on him.)

"She can't help it, Steve. Sam loves you very much, but she honestly can't help it. I was the same way, remember? Maybe because Sam and I are both usually very calm, very level-headed women, pregnancy affects us by making us moody, hard to live with, and, well, a little crazy."

"Were you aware of the way you were acting?"

"Well, yes, but, again, I could not help myself. As a baby is growing inside its mother's body, there are a lot of changes going on and I'm not just talking about the physical ones. A woman's body chemistry completely changes, hormone levels increase. Sometimes, emotions go through the roof, and you stare acting like a totally different person. Sounds like what's happening with Sam."

"What can I _do_, Kono? If this morning is any indication of what the next four and a half months are going to be like, . . . "

"Sam's carrying your baby, Steve, and it's doing strange things to her that she really can't control. Just remember how much you love her and that you're going to have a sweet, precious baby in your arms in just a few more months and, most of all, _be patient_ with her. And, if you start going totally crazy, just call me."

(As Kono has been speaking, Steve has been listening closely to everything she's said and, by the time she's through, he has dropped his feet off his desk, is sitting up straighter in his chair, and is peering intensely at her.)

"Do you have any idea how long Sam's going to be like this?"

"Sorry, Steve, it's different for every woman but it usually doesn't last the whole pregnancy."

"Yeah. . . Thanks, Kono, I appreciate you talking to me about this."

"You're welcome. Glad I could help."

(And patting Steve's hand as she stands up, Kono gives him an encouraging smile and heads back to her own office. Steve picks up the phone and calls his wife.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Hey, Beautiful. I'm really sorry for everything that happened this morning. I love you, Sam, and I love our baby and I would never intentionally do anything to hurt either one of you. Forgive me?"

"I'm the one who needs _your_ forgiveness, Steve. I cannot believe that I behaved so badly!"

"It's not your fault, Sam. It's no one's fault. It is what it is."

"I love you so much, Steve. The very thought of you being mad or upset with me tears me up."

"Sam, are you crying?"

"Yeah. Again, damn it. I'm either ranting like a lunatic or crying like a baby, Steve, and I can't help it."

"It's all right, Sweetheart. Kono did the same thing and she said it didn't last her whole pregnancy."

"Still, I've got a call in to Lt. Cmdr. Denning. After you left here this morning, I realized that maybe this is something he needs to know about, you know, in case my moods are too extreme. I'm waiting to hear from him now."

" 'Kay. Let me know what he says. And Sam? Don't ever forget that I love you with everything I have in me."

"I know you do, Steve, I love you, too. Forever and always."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 15, 2011**

(When Sam walks up to the front door of their house that evening, it opens before she reaches it and Steve, a mysterious little smile on his face, steps out onto the porch. Before Sam can say a word, he has taken her briefcase and cover from her and placed them just inside the door. When he turns back to face his wife, Sam looks completely confused.)

"Close your eyes, Sam."

(And she does. Seconds later, she feels Steve's strong arms around her lifting her off her feet. Asking her to keep her eyes closed, Steve kicks the front door closed and Sam lays her head on his shoulder as he starts up the stairs. She hears the sounds of one of her favorite CDs getting nearer and nearer and begins to smell her favorite scent, gardenias. Moments later, Steve sets her on her feet but tells her to continue to keep her eyes closed. Puzzled, Sam does as he asks and just enjoys the feel of his hands on her as he gently removes her uniform and underwear, his large hand pausing for a moment on her abdomen as he kisses the side of her neck. She is lifted into his arms again and, seconds later, she sighs out loud as pleasantly warm and gardenia-scented water flows over her body as he carefully sets her down in their jetted garden tub, but Steve still insists she keep her eyes closed. Sam is smiling now but does as he asks. Only when Steve has joined her in the tub, sitting behind her and pulling her back against his muscled chest, his hands resting on her baby bump, does he tell Sam to open her eyes. When she does, the sight that greets her eyes causes her to gasp. Steve had filled their bathroom with white candles of all varieties, short ones, tall ones, round ones, and square ones and they're all emitting a soft gardenia scent and providing soft, subdued light for the bathroom. Steve grins at Sam's reaction to the first part of his surprise and bends his head to kiss her bare shoulder.)

"Thought we'd start with a nice, relaxing bath before dinner."

"Start? What else do you have in mind, Sailor?"

"No, no, no; it's a surprise, Beautiful. Just relax and be a good girl and enjoy your bath."

"Yes, Sir. . . Steve, what. . ."

"Sshhh, no talking; just relaxing."

(And with those words, Steve's hands begin to slowly and gently rub Sam's baby bump and she lets her head fall back on his muscular chest. Their house phone rings and Sam starts to sit up, but Steve gently pulls her back against him and kisses the side of her neck.)

"Let it go, Sam."

"It could be Adm. Henderson or the Governor, Steve."

"They'll wait, Sam. This evening is all about you and me."

(And, for once, Samantha McGarrett decides to push duty aside and follow her husband's lead. Only when the water begins to cool does Steve ease himself from behind Sam, shift her so he can pick her up, and step out of the tub with his precious burden. Standing Sam on her feet, Steve grabs one of the fluffy, white bath blankets and wraps it around his wife. Then he picks her up again and lays her on their bed telling her not to move a muscle while he gets a bottle of her gardenia-scented body lotion from the bathroom. Sam watches him with a small smile on her face as he opens the bottle, pours some of the lotion into his hands and begins to slowly massage it into her feet. He repeats this process until he's covered every inch of her body, being careful of the baby, and by the time he's reached her neck and shoulders, Sam is almost a boneless mass. She is floating in a very pleasant place of total relaxation and moans her displeasure when Steve finally puts the top back on the bottle and returns it to the bathroom. In fact, she has almost drifted off to sleep when she feels her husband's hands on her, once again. Leaning over to place a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips, Steve helps her sit up and then proceeds to help her dress in a pair of peach maternity shorts, a white, eyelet maternity top, and even kneels down to slip a pair of sandals on her feet before pulling on a pair of swim trunks. Picking Sam up in his arms, Steve heads downstairs to the back deck where places Sam on one of the matching loveseats where he has piled several pillows. Grinning at her, he heads back into the house for a few minutes and returns with a tray bearing a huge pitcher of chilled pineapple juice, something Sam has always liked but really developed a taste for since being pregnant, and a tray of fresh fruits, cheeses, and crackers. He pours some of the juice into one of Sam's crystal goblets and hands it to her before returning to the kitchen again. When he comes back out onto the deck this time, he's carrying marinated skewers of filet of beef and fresh vegetables which he places on the grill. Once he's satisfied that everything's taken care of for the moment, he joins Sam and pulls her into his arms. Sam is enjoying this immensely and grins as she settles into Steve's embrace.)

"My surprise is wonderful, Steve; thank you."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, Sam, but I'm not done."

"You're not?"

"No, Ma'am. Just relax and enjoy."

"No problem. . . I love you."

"I love you, too, Sam."

(Minutes later, they are sitting at the glass-topped table on the deck, which Steve has set with Sam's fine china, crystal, and sterling silver as well as a white linen tablecloth and matching napkins. At the last minute, he carries a beautiful arrangement of peach-colored roses and baby's breath out and sets it in the middle of the table. Sam is astonished and humbled. After she was such a witch to Steve, he's gone out of his way to give her a romantic evening. Her heart swells with love for him as she watches him walk from the grill to the table and add some steamed rice with orange glaze to their plates before sitting down close to her. Steve leans toward Sam and their lips have just met in a sweet kiss when the door from the kitchen flies open and Caroline and Danny come rushing out onto the deck stopping just short of the table.)

"Hey, do you two not know how to answer your phone?"

(And Danny is off on one of his famous rants while Steve makes a menacing noise under his breath and Sam giggles.)

"I know what time you left the office, Steven, and Caroline knows what time Sam left the base and we thought we'd call and see if the two of you wanted to go out to dinner with us, but you didn't answer your phone so we called your cellular phones and you didn't answer either one of those, either, and, naturally, Caroline is having all kinds of horrible scenarios flashing through her head not the least of which is that someone you've pissed off has decided to come over here and do all kinds of nasty things to the two of you, so we had to come over here because my wife was scared to death that her sister and our niece or nephew had met with some terrible fate."

(Danny has said all of this in one sentence without taking a breath and Sam, Steve, and Caroline are all staring at him in amazement.)

"Wow. I'm impressed, Danny."

"And I would be impressed as well, Sam, _if one of you had answered a phone!"_

"Um, Danny."

"Of course, I guess it would be too much to ask for boy wonder here to pick up a telephone."

"Danny."

"Guess he can't lower himself to the level of us mere mortals."

"Danny!"

"What, Caroline?"

"Sam and Steve are fine, we're interrupting their dinner, and I'm starving. Say good night and let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 15, 2011**

(Steve strides out onto the back deck several minutes later after seeing the Williams' out, and Sam can't help but giggle at the expression on his face.)

"Come on, Steve, they were just worried. I think it's sweet."

"They interrupted my . . . Nope, not gonna let them spoil our evening."

"Steve, we really are going to have to answer the phone from now on."

"Why?"

"You forgot, didn't you? Steve, in addition to Caroline and Danny; my parents, Kono and Tony, and Lana and Chin also have keys to our house."

"I did forget. Damn."

"Not going to let them spoil our evening, remember? What's for dessert?"

"Hang on."

(And Steve disappears back into the house only to reappear moments later with chocolate fudge cake and Sam looks up at him with complete and total devotion on her face. Neither of them eats a lot of sweets, but when Sam does, anything chocolate fudge is her absolute favorite. After they finish dinner, Steve picks Sam up again, carries her into the living room and sets her down on one of the sofas before handing her the remote to the flat screen and telling her he's going to clean up. Twenty minutes later, Steve walks back into the living room and sits on the coffee table in front of the sofa. A special on aircraft carriers is on the television and Steve smiles at his wife's choice of programs. Sam may be grounded right now, but she still stays on top of all things flight related.)

"Do you really want to watch this, Sam?"

"What have you got in mind, Steve?"

"The rest of your surprise."

(And Sam instantly hits the "off" button on the remote which causes a sexy, little grin to spread across Steve's face, and he scoops her up into his arms and heads for the stairs. Sam can't help it and starts laughing.)

"Steve, I haven't set one foot on any floor since I got home this afternoon. Are you going to carry me everywhere tonight?"

"Just one more place, Sam. Think you're going to like it, too."

"Really? Tell me more."

"Nope, you're just going to have to wait and see."

"Well, what are you waiting for, Sailor, let's go."

(But Sam is fairly certain she knows exactly where Steve is taking her and, turns out, she's dead on the money because Steve lays her gently down on top of their bed, lays down beside her, and proceeds to kiss her senseless. Sam is on the same page with him and returns his kiss with a fierce ardor. In a matter of moments, their clothes are lying on the floor around the bed and Sam's breath is becoming increasingly labored as Steve kisses every inch of her body slowly and sensuously. Because of her pregnancy, her breasts are so much more sensitive and Sam nearly goes over the edge when Steve grazes her nipples with his teeth. Grabbing his head with both hands, she pulls his face back to hers and kisses him like there's no tomorrow. Her nails rake down one of his muscular arms and his mouth leaves hers again to trail hot, wet kisses down her neck to the sweet spot on her collarbone. Sam is delirious, but Steve has the presence of mind to keep his weight off her tummy and their baby. As much as he wants to make love to his wife, he will not do anything to hurt his baby. Of course, Steve's a SEAL and SEALs are known for their creativity, and it isn't long before both he and Sam fall into the abyss together. Long minutes later, as Steve is lying spooned around Sam's body and his hand is lying protectively on her baby bump, he hears her sweet voice float to him in their moonlit bedroom.)

"Thank you for one of the most perfect evenings of my entire life, Sailor."

"You're welcome, Beautiful. I thought it was pretty perfect myself."

'Lt. Cmdr. Denning called me back this afternoon. I told him everything that happened today, explained in embarrassingly brutal detail exactly what a bitch I was to you, and he said it's not going to go away overnight. . . Steve, I promise you that I'm going to make every possible effort to keep my emotions under control and not do that to you again, but I can't make any promises I'm going to be successful."

"It's okay, Sam. I know the next few months aren't going to exactly be smooth sailing, but I we'll get through them just fine. And then, we'll have an incredible little human being that we created out of our love for one another, and we'll forget all about the rough patches in the road."

"Do you really want to find out what we're having? "Cause, if you do, I really don't mind. We can get Cmdr. Denning to tell us when we go in for the ultrasound in three weeks."

"No, Sam, I kind of like the idea of it being a surprise, and, although I messed with you about it, I like the 'McBaby' thing. Think it's catchy."

(Sam and Steve fall into a relaxed, peaceful sleep cuddled up with one another not long after. . .

Adm. Harte of Homeland Security studies the "For Eyes Only" report in his hand and begins to frown. The further he reads the more concerned he becomes; he thought this particular problem had been dealt with, but it seems he was wrong. Sighing heavily, the man sits down, lays the report on his desk, and stares at the folder for just a moment. Wearily, he pushes a button on his desk phone to speak with his secretary.)

"Get me Gov. Jameson in Honolulu. Tell her it's urgent."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 16, 2011**

(Long after she has ended her call with Adm. Harte, Gov. Pat Jameson sits at the desk in her office at the Governor's residence and stares out the window into the pre-dawn night. Adm. Harte has just made a request of her that has burdened her mightily. Of course, should she refuse the Admiral's request, it will only be a delaying tactic because the Admiral will get what he wants eventually. But what the Admiral wants will create a hardship for not only the Governor, but others, as well; one person in particular who the Governor has become rather fond of and doesn't want to upset. Just as the sun is beginning to rise, Gov. Jameson is still sitting in her office and has come no closer to making a decision on Adm. Harte's request than she was immediately after his call. The Admiral told her he would call her back in the morning. Well, it's morning and the Governor is expecting the phone to ring at any moment. Sighing heavily, Gov. Pat Jameson stands up, pulls her robe more tightly around her, and heads back to her bedroom to get ready to go to the Palace and start her day. She has no choice in this matter; no choice at all. Adm. Harte will get what he wants, one way or the other, and what he wants is Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett – back on active duty with the United States Navy and leading a SEAL team to the Middle East to eliminate a threat to national security. . .

Steve awakens well before the alarm goes off and is perfectly content to prop his head on one hand and watch Sam sleep. Her beautiful face is relaxed and he follows the curves and contours of her jaw line, her nose, and her cheeks with his eyes as his free hand slowly and gently rubs her baby bump. A small, sweet smile curves Sam's full lips as Steve feels their child moving in its mother's womb. Impulsively, Steve leans over and kisses Sam's abdomen and speaks softly to his child.)

"Good morning, McBaby. Your Mommy's still asleep, but Daddy's here, little one. Did you know that you have the most beautiful Mommy in the world? 'Cause you do and that's how Daddy knows that, boy or girl, you're definitely going to be a looker. If you're a girl, I'm going to have to make sure that any little boys who come within a hundred feet of you know your Daddy's a SEAL, and, if you're a boy, I'm going to teach you how to behave like a gentleman and treat the ladies nicely 'cause I have no doubt you're going to be a chick magnet. I'm going to have to wake your Mommy up soon because she has to get ready to go to the base. That's right, McBaby, Daddy's a SEAL and Mommy's a fighter pilot with the U.S. Navy. Course, Mommy's grounded right now because, while it would totally be a lot of fun, it wouldn't be a good idea for Mommy to go flying around in an FA/18 while she's carrying you. When you're old enough, Mommy will teach you how to fly and Daddy will teach you how to take care of yourself. I love you, little one, and I can hardly wait until I can hold you. Listen, I want you to behave for your Mommy today, okay? Carrying you is hard work and I don't want Mommy to be overly tired, so be a good McBaby. I'm going to go take a shower now, so let Mommy sleep until I come back."

(And Steve eases from the bed, makes sure the alarm won't go off, and heads to the bathroom. Having been awake since the baby first kicked, Sam rolls onto her back and cradles her baby bump with both hands.)

"You are going to be a looker, little angel, because your Daddy is one seriously hot guy, but, more importantly, he's the bravest, most honorable men I know. You and I are both very blessed to have Daddy in our lives. Daddy's right you know, Mommy will definitely teach you how to fly when you're old enough and I'll help Daddy teach you how to take care of yourself. And you've got lots of other people who love you, too. There's Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Caroline and Uncle Danny, and Aunt Kono and Uncle Tony and they have an adorable baby boy; his name's Eric and I'm sure the two of you are going to be the best of friends. And there's also Aunt Lana and Uncle Chin, and, last but certainly not least, there's your cousin Gracie. She's awesome, McBaby, and I'm sure she'll be glad to 'show you the ropes' when you're old enough. Uh oh, the shower stopped so Daddy will be back in here any minute. Since he wanted me to sleep a little longer, I'm going to close my eyes and wait for him to wake me up. I love you, McBaby, very, very much."

(Steve makes sure Sam's up and then heads downstairs to start breakfast. Once they've eaten and finished dressing, they leave the house; Sam to the base and Steve to the Palace. Steve is in an exceedingly good mood because not one, cross word was spoken between them this morning and Sam was all smiles and sugar. What he doesn't know is that his good mood is about to abruptly disappear. . .)


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 16, 2011**

(Steve is sitting in his office looking over the most recent BOLOs from H.P.D. when Danny, looking somewhat sheepish, walks in and sits down in one of the chairs in front of Steve's desk. Steve, knowing full well why Danny is there, suppresses a grin and sends a frown in Danny's direction.)

"What? You're _slinking_ in to my office instead of breaking the door down?"

"Yeah, about that. . Listen, Steve, I just wanted to apologize for barging in on you and Sam last night, but Caroline was. . . "

"Danny, it's okay. I was a little unhappy with you at first, but I know you and Caroline were just worried about us."

"If one of you had just answered a phone. . . "

"Not to worry; we will from now on."

"You sure we didn't ruin your evening?"

"I'm sure."

(But before Danny can respond, Steve's desk phone rings.)

"McGarrett. . . I'll be right up."

"Gov. Jameson?"

"Yeah, she wants to see me. Her secretary said it's urgent."

"Well, that can't be good."

(Ten minutes later, Steve is ushered into Gov. Jameson's private office and finds the lady standing at one of the windows looking out onto the Palace gardens. The expression on her face is one that sets Steve's teeth on edge and the woman hasn't even opened her mouth, yet. She turns toward him and indicates he should have a seat on one of the leather sofas in her office before seating herself in a matching leather chair.)

"Good morning, Commander."

"Governor. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. . . I received a phone call from Adm. Harte with Homeland Security at four-thirty this morning. Homeland and other intelligence agencies have picked up some chatter in the past thirty-six hours that lead them to believe terrorists are going to attempt an attack on Honolulu sometime within the next fourteen days."

"What kind of attack? How certain are they that this threat is credible?"

"Bio-chemical weapons, and the validity of the threat is extremely high. I don't have to tell you that, should this information leak to the public, we'd have a panic on our hands."

"No, Ma'am, you don't. I take it that you want Five-0 to coordinate with Homeland Security to make sure this attack doesn't happen."

"Five-0 will most assuredly be the lead agency. In fact, while the State Police and the Honolulu Police Department will be made aware that there is a possibility of an attack, they will only be given the bare minimum of details. The more people who know about this, the more likely it will leak to the public."

"Why is it that there's something else you haven't told me, Governor?"

(Pat Jameson would rather cut off her right arm than have to utter the next words coming out of her mouth, but there's no way around it; better it come from her, softened as much as possible, than in the form of a direct order from Adm. Harte. Casting a compassionate gaze in Steve's direction, she takes a deep breath and tells him what the Admiral wants.)

"Steve, Adm. Harte wants you back on active duty and he wants you in command of a SEAL team headed to the Middle East to get to the source of this threat and eliminate them."

(For a few moments, Steve doesn't so much as blink, doesn't move a muscle, not even his facial expression changes as he absorbs the Governor's words. Finally, a look of resigned acceptance enters his eyes.)

"When?"

"Adm. Harte will be here first thing in the morning. Although he didn't go into a great deal of detail during our conversation, I would imagine he will want you to leave as soon as possible. My guess is within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. I could intercede, Steve; tell the Admiral that I need you here coordinating prevention of the attack from this end. He might be willing to. . "

"Governor, as much as I appreciate your offer, we both know that's not going to happen. I am curious, though. . There are a great many SEAL teams currently on active duty that could deal with this threat. Do you know why Adm. Harte specifically wants me?"

"Yes, I do. He feels that you are the most qualified person because Alexei Kasavitch is the man allegedly behind the threat."

"Alexei Kasavitch?"

"The younger brother of Dimitri Kasavitch. Adm. Harte believes that Alexei is out to avenge his brother's capture, conviction, and subsequent life sentence, and this threat is his way of accomplishing that. The Admiral feels that, because of your extensive involvement in apprehending Dimitri Kasavitch, you will better be able to 'read' his brother."

"I see."

"Steve, I know you're worried about Sam, and this couldn't have come at a worse time. Are you sure you don't want me to talk to Adm. Harte and see if he'll reconsider?"

"No, Ma'am. Sam will be fine. She and I both know our duty. If you'll excuse me, I need to go see my wife."

"Certainly. And, Steve? Sam has a great many people here who love her and will take care of her and your child. Keep your head clear and stay focused while on this op, Commander. We'll take care of your family until you get back."

"Thank you, Governor. I'd appreciate that."

(Steve leaves the Governor's office and heads straight to the parking lot; not even bothering to stop back by his office. He needs to tell Sam what's about to happen, he needs to do it face to face, and he needs to do it now. The entire time he is driving to the base, he wavers between anger, frustration, guilt, and resignation. What he's about to do to the woman he loves, the woman who means more to him than anyone else on Earth is going to hurt her badly and there's not a damned thing he can do to stop it.)


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 16, 2011**

(Sam has been working on reports all morning long and has just finished the last one, much to her vast relief. The Flight Ops building is fairly deserted as most of the pilots and RIOs are about seventy-five miles out in the Pacific flying training exercises with the U.S.S. Coral Sea, and the quietness is about to drive Sam batty. The sound of footsteps in the hall catches her attention, and she looks up toward her office door just as her husband steps across the threshold. One look at Steve's face is all it takes; _she knows_! Standing up slowly, Sam walks around her desk and meets Steve in the middle of her office. Searching his beautiful eyes, she sees anguish and is sure that her own are filled with dread. Wordlessly, she steps closer and feels his strong arms close around her as hers slide up and around his neck. Laying her head on his shoulder, she breathes deeply and forces herself to stay calm.)

"When?"

"Sometime in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours."

"Can you tell me where?"

"I'm not sure, yet. I'll know more tomorrow."

"Can you tell me why?"

"I haven't been ordered not to, yet, so yeah, Sam, I'm going to tell you. Let's sit down."

(And Steve proceeds to tell Sam everything he knows about the situation. Sam listens in silence and doesn't allow a tear to fall. When Steve is through, he looks at her with so much love in his eyes that Sam almost loses the battle, but she is determined that she's not going to fall apart.)

"I love you more than anything, Sam. I wouldn't hurt you for the world if I could help it."

"I know that, Steve. Two halves of a whole, remember? . . We both knew this was a possibility, and we both know that you have to go. Not because someone orders you to, but because you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you didn't. You are the bravest, most honorable man I know. In fact, I told McBaby that very thing just this morning. Am I happy about this? Absolutely not. Am I going to cry and scream and whine? Never. Remember when we were talking about this a few months ago, right around the time Eric was born, and I told you the thought of you being called up terrified me? Well, I'm terrified, but you told me that you knew I would make you proud because I would do what's expected of me as the wife of an Officer and a SEAL, and I will, Steve. I promise you that, no matter what, I'll hold my head up high and be a strong, positive example for the other wives. _I will not let you down_."

"I know you won't, Sweetheart, and I _am_ proud of you, Sam. I won't let you down, either. I'm going on this op and I'm going to find Alexei Kasavitch and whoever is working with him and I'm going to eliminate the threat to the people I love, and then I'm coming home; to you and our baby."

"I think we need to call a family meeting, Steve; tonight."

"I agree. Our house, 1900 hours?"

"Sounds good. I'll tell Caroline when she gets back from the Coral Sea and I'll call Mom and Dad. You take care of Kono and Tony and Lana and Chin."

"On it, Beautiful. I love you, Sam, with all my heart."

"I love you, too, Steve. Forever and always."

(At seven o'clock that evening, everyone gathers at the McGarrett's although they have no idea why. Once Kono and Tony arrive with little Eric, they all move out to the back deck, and Steve, standing beside the chair in which Sam is sitting, explains the situation.)

"First of all, thank you all for coming. I know this was a last minute thing, but I promise you it's important. . . I'm being called back to active duty, and I'll be deploying within the next thirty-six to forty-eight hours."

(As he expected, this news is met with varying degrees of shock and there are stunned expressions on most everyone's face. Libby's horrified expression switches from Steve to Sam and back again, but neither Sam nor Steve appears the least bit upset; _appears_ being the operative word.)

"I haven't yet been ordered not to discuss this op but what I'm about to tell you is, most likely, highly classified so I'm going to trust all of you to keep this to yourselves. But, since the whole reason I'm going on this op could directly affect you, I feel you have the right to know."

(Steve gives them all the information he has and, again, the reactions are varied. When he finishes, there is silence, punctuated only by the sounds of the waves breaking on the shore, for several minutes. Mike and Tony, thinking like the military men they are, are the first to regain their equilibrium, and Tony asks the first question.)

"Who's on your team, Boss?'

"Don't know, yet, but don't even think about volunteering, Lieutenant. I'll feel better knowing you're here handling things on this end."

"How good's the intel for this op, Son?"

"I honestly don't know, Mike. Guess I'll find out when I talk with Adm. Harte tomorrow. . . Are you all right, Libby?"

(At Steve's question, all eyes find the older woman whom they've all come to love and look upon as the matriarch of their family. Libby is pale and an expression of anguish is on her face. At the moment, she is torn; part of her is extremely proud of Steve; the other part, the mother and grandmother, is upset beyond words.)

"I just need a minute to absorb all of this. To be honest, while I'm concerned for your safety, dear, I'm worried about Sam, too. This is most distressing."

(Sam, who has remained quiet up until this point, calmly stands up and walks over to her mother's chair where she gracefully kneels down and takes her mother's hand in hers. Smiling up into the face she loves so much, Sam does her best to set her mother's fears to rest.)

"Mom, Steve was hand-picked for this op because Adm. Harte knows just how good a SEAL Steve is, he knows he can depend on him to accomplish his mission and prevent a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, and he knows Steve will do this as quickly and efficiently as possible. I'd be lying if I said this deployment isn't going to be hard for me because it will be, but it's going to be hard on Steve, too. He's going to be worried about me and our baby while he's gone, but I know he won't allow his concern for us to interfere with his ability to get the job done; he can't because _any_ distraction could cost him his life or the lives of the men on his team. I _trust_ Steve to complete this op and come home to me and the baby, and I know that he will do everything he possibly can to make that happen because I know he loves both of us. I am so in love with Steve and I am so proud of him, and there's no way I'm going to let him down. So, while Steve is taking care of his part of this deployment, I'm going to take care of mine, and I know I can count on you, on all of you, to do the same."

(Libby looks at her daughter in stunned amazement. Sam has just done for her mother exactly what Libby has done for so many SEAL wives over the years, and Libby actually feels a little ashamed of herself. Glancing around, she sees admiration and respect for Sam in the faces of every other person present, and there is no doubt as to the pride on Steve's face. Libby's expression changes to one of determination as she pats her daughter's hand.)

"Samantha, I have never been more proud of you than I am at this moment."


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 17, 2011**

(Mike, realizing that his wife and daughter are about to get very emotional and that they're not the only ones, reverts back to "Commanding Officer" mode and decides to take control of the situation before it gets totally out of hand. Reaching one hand down to help Sam up and patting Libby's arm with the other, Mike has to clear his throat before he can speak but once he does, his voice is strong and clear.)

"I realize that we're all a little . . . Dazed at the moment, but I think the best thing for us to do is carry on as we normally would. To that end, I think dinner would be the next item on our agenda right now, but I don't think anyone feels much like cooking. Why don't we all head over to that seafood restaurant you all like so much? My treat, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

(And so, the five couples and little Eric Montgomery head out to the restaurant for dinner. The fifteen minute trip offers each couple the opportunity to discuss their initial reactions to Steve's news. . .

Danny glances over to the passenger's seat several times and finds Caroline staring out the window apparently lost in her own thoughts. The expression on her beautiful face is grim and Danny knows that she's truly worried.)

"This is going to be okay, Caroline. Steve knows what he's doing and he's damned good."

"Yeah, Danny, he is, but he's not Superman; he's a flesh and blood man. You know as well as I do that there's a possibility that he could be seriously wounded or even. . Killed over there, and, if that happens, it will absolutely destroy Sam. I cannot bear to see her have to go through that!"

"This is hard on both of them, Caroline. Hell, it's hard on all of us, but it is what it is and there's nothing anyone can do to change it. What we _can_ do is stay as positive as possible and be there for Sam."

"I know that, Danny, and I will be the most upbeat person on the planet because I love my sister very much and I don't want to see her hurt, but it's not going to be easy."

"You know, K, you're going to be a tremendous help to Sam while Steve's gone. I mean, it's only been a few months since you went through this."

"_If_ she'll let me help her. You know how Sam is; she'll put on this really brave front and keep the way she's _really_ feeling to herself. I can't help her if she won't let me in, Tony."

"Yeah, well, Sam's never been in a situation like this before, so she might be more receptive than you think."

"Maybe. . . Tony, what if Steve can't stop this? What if they somehow get biological weapons on the island?"

"That's a possibility, K, but so is you getting shot while on duty or me being injured on an op and we live with those possibilities every, single day. We can't let fear rule our lives, Sweetheart. If we do, we won't have any lives."

"I know, but, now that we have Eric, I just. . . I take things a little more seriously than I used to, I guess."

"And that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's a difference between being cautious and being paranoid, Kono, and, sometimes, it's a very fine line."

"You're right, and I'll do my best to keep my head on straight and not panic. Besides, Steve's good; he'll stop these guys."

"I can't begin to imagine what Sam and Steve must be feeling right now. After everything they've been through, things were starting to fall into place for the two of them and now this. It's just not fair, Chin."

"Sam and Steve are both strong people, Lana, they'll get through this."

"But _how_ will they get through it? If something happens to Steve, Sam will . . . Well, I don't even want to think what she'll do."

"Sam's got a lot of people who care about her, Lana, and we'll be right here for her. That's at least one thing Steve won't have to worry about while he's gone, and that will help Sam because she won't be quite so worried about Steve worrying about her."

"I don't usually ask this of you, Mike, but.. "

"I'm going to call Phil Taunton at the Pentagon as soon as we get home, Libby. I don't like the idea of Steve being recalled and deployed any more than you do, but, now that it's a done deal, I want more intel."

"I know Steve said the reason Adm. Harte wanted him on this was because of his familiarity with the Dimitri Kasavitch, but . . . Mike, Steve has no idea who the men on his team are going to be, and I'm concerned that his _un_familiarity with his men might, in itself, cause problems."

"Libby, SEALs can work with anybody at any time, no matter what. Doesn't matter if you've known the men on your team for years or meet them as you're getting on a C-130; you go with your training. Steve knows what he's doing; I'm not worried about that aspect of this deployment."

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Since 9/11, there's been a steady stream of threats coming from the Taliban, al Qaeda, and God only knows how many other extremist organizations against the United States and her allies. For the most part, these threats have been empty rhetoric designed to instill fear and create panic, but there have been some very credible threats that proved to be factual and were, fortunately, dealt with before the attacks could take place. I have a feeling this threat is highly credible; Bill Harte isn't the kind of man to take any threat lightly, but he also doesn't act needlessly. My greatest concern right now is that, if Steve and his team _do_ locate the source of the threat, Kasavitch might choose to die rather than be captured. He might take our SEALs with him, or expose them to biological weapons, and _that_ would be a horrible way to die; and if exposure doesn't kill them, then, depending on what kind of biological weapons Kasavitch has . . . Death might be the better option."

"Oh my God, Mike, I hadn't even thought of that! Whatever you do, _do not_ mention anything about that in front of Sam!"

"Libby, our daughter is not stupid. I'd be willing to bet you that the thought's already crossed her mind, and, if it hasn't, it soon will."

.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 17, 2011**

(A couple of hours later, Sam and Steve are sitting on a blanket down at the beach behind their house; something they haven't done in a while. Steve watches Sam as she looks out over the moonlit water and he wishes he could find the words to comfort her because he knows, no matter how calm she appears on the outside, she's hurting on the inside. Sliding his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him, he kisses her temple.)

"You were amazing tonight, Sam."

"I meant every word I said."

"I know you did, and I have to agree with your mom; I don't think I've ever been more proud of you than I was tonight."

"I'm not the hero here, Steve, you are; and don't you dare try to deny it because you are a hero. . . You're _my _hero and you always will be."

"You know I'll call you every chance I get, right?"

"Yeah, Sailor, I know you will."

"Same goes for emails."

"I know."

"Depending on how good the intel we get is, I could be back home in a few days."

"Absolutely."

"I know what you're doing, Sam. I get the whole, 'send him off with a smile' thing, but, if you want to cry and scream it's okay. . . Really."

"I'm good."

"Sam. . . "

"No, Steve, really; I'm okay. I didn't say what I did tonight when everyone was here because I was trying to put up a front; I said what I did because I believe every word. I have faith in you, Steve, and I trust you to get the job done and come back home to me; to us. Just promise me something . . . "

"What, Baby?"

"Promise me that you'll keep your head on straight; that you won't worry about me or the baby. I need to know that your mind is on where you are and what you're doing and nothing and no one else, not even me and the baby."

"Sam. ."

"Promise me, Steve!"

"I promise I'll be careful, Sam, I'll concentrate on what I'm doing so I can get it over with and get back home to you and our baby."

"Okay, then; we're good."

"You're an extraordinary woman, Samantha McGarrett, and I love you very much."

(They sit there on the beach in peaceful silence for a while until Steve notices Sam has shifted positions a couple of times, and he's worried about her comfort. Standing up, he reaches a hand down to help her up, grabs the blanket, and they head back to the house. Once they reach their bedroom, Sam suddenly turns toward him, slides her arms around his neck and fuses her mouth to his. She is almost desperate in her need, and Steve realizes it is because she knows this may very well be their last night together for some time. He catches her sense of urgency, but is determined to make love to her slowly and sweetly; he wants to leave her with memories of this night that she can "pull out" whenever she wants or needs to, and . . . He wants memories he can hold close to his heart, as well. Hours later, Steve lies in their bed holding Sam close; his large hand resting on her baby bump, and he asks God to watch over his wife and child while he's gone. Finally, Steve drifts off to sleep dreaming of McBaby. . .

The following morning, Steve has breakfast ready as soon as Sam comes downstairs and they spend a little more time than usual at the table; both of them wanting to draw out their time together doing normal, every day things as much as possible before Steve deploys. He still hasn't officially been called up to active duty, but he has a strong feeling that his orders have been cut and are, most likely, being hand-delivered by Adm. Harte. Until the Admiral arrives, however, Steve still has a job he needs to do, so he follows Sam out of their driveway and heads to the Palace as she heads to the base. .

Surprisingly, Steve is the last one in the office and it's more than a little obvious that Danny, Kono, and Chin have been discussing his leaving. He's fairly certain there are some things they each wanted to say last night but didn't out of fear of upsetting Sam, and he has some things he'd like to say to all of them, as well. He asks them to come into his office.)

"Listen, I know this whole deployment thing has everybody on edge, but it's not that big a deal."

"Not that big a deal? Do you not realize that these people are _terrorists_, Steve?"

"Yeah, Danny, I get that, but I've dealt with people like this before; we all have, and we've done it right here in Hawaii."

"But you're not going to be in Hawaii, Steven. Just who the Hell's going to have your back?"

(And then it hits Steve; Danny, Kono, and Chin are worried because they won't be around to look out for him. They're used to working together as a team and now one of them is going to be missing for a little while.)

"I need the three of you to promise me something."

"Anything, Boss."

"I need you to keep an eye on Sam and make sure she's okay."

"Well, of course, we will, boy genius! Geez, I can't believe you thought you had to ask!"

"I know I didn't have to ask Danny, but I . . . Damn."

"It's okay, Buddy; we've got your back. You just go catch the bad guys."

(Steve feels better after their conversation, but there's still something he needs to do. Pulling out his cellular phone, he calls his father-in-law and asks him to meet him at the McGarrett's house. Once they set a time, Steve sits down at his desktop to work before heading home. Mike arrives shortly after Steve gets there and the two men go out to the back deck to have their conversation.)

"What's on your mind, Son?"

"There are some things you need to know. My will is in a safety deposit box at the Credit Union on base. There's also information in there about investments and the deed to this house."

(He hands Mike a key for the safety deposit box and an envelope he had been holding. Sam's name is written on the front of the envelope in Steve's bold handwriting.)

"If anything happens to me, I need you to give this to Sam."

"See to it that I don't have to do that, Son."


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 17, 2011**

(At 1130 hours that morning, Steve, dressed in BDUs, finds himself in the building designated for the SEALs stationed at Pearl and headed to the main conference room to meet with Admirals Harte and Henderson. Finding the door to the conference room, Steve squares his shoulders and strides into the room with a confident air, and doesn't even blink when he sees the two other occupants of the room; Lt. Tony Montgomery and his father-in-law who is in uniform. Mike told him earlier that morning that he had spoken with Adm. Taunton, a friend of his attached to the office of the Joint Chiefs, and Adm. Thrasher was now assigned to this op as a special advisor. In this capacity, not only will Mike be aware of exactly what's going on with Steve's team at all times, but he will also be responsible for coordinating the military's response to any attempted attack on the island. Mike also happened to mention that he had requested Lt. Montgomery serve as his aide during this op and Adm. Henderson granted the request. Knowing that Sam's father will know what's happening and can get to Sam quickly with news eases Steve's mind a great deal; as does the fact that, at least for the duration of this op, Tony will be safe and sound at home. Of course, if Steve and his team fail to complete their mission, everyone on the island, including his wife, child, family and friends will be at risk. Failure, therefore, _is not_ an option. Adm. Harte shakes Steve's hand and begins the briefing.)

"Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, it's good to see you again. I just wish it was under better circumstances. Gentlemen, if you'll all have a seat we'll begin. . . . As I'm sure you know by now, we picked up chatter about a possible biological attack to occur here in Honolulu sometime in the next thirteen days. As of 0600 hours today, that time frame has narrowed. A C.I.A. asset has confirmed that a biological weapon is being developed in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, about seventy miles east of Kabul. The identity of the man paying for the development of this weapon has also been verified; Alexei Kasavich. Gentlemen, this weapon is a mutated form of several nerve agents which, by themselves, are extremely deadly. It is believed to be in liquid form which then turns into a gas when exposed to air, and, according to our sources, it would take less that one liter of the agent to kill everyone in the city of Honolulu. As I said, our window of opportunity has decreased. At 0600 hours today, we picked up chatter that Kasavich will be arriving in Jalalabad sometime in the next seventy-two hours to take delivery of the weapon. It is believed that his intention is to then launch the attack on Honolulu. Cmdr. McGarrett, your team will be departing Pearl at 0400 hours tomorrow for Ramstein, A.F.B. Your orders are to eliminate the threat, Commander. Do you have any questions for me?"

"No, Sir."

"All right, then. Your team is waiting for you in conference room two."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

"Cmdr. McGarrett? I'm sorry I had to recall you to active duty and send you on this op and I want you to know that I would not have done so if I didn't feel you were imperative to the success of this mission. I'm sure your wife is probably not very happy with me right now, and I plan to personally apologize to her, as well."

"Thank you, Admiral. I'm sure Sam will appreciate that."

"Go brief your men, Commander. Dismissed."

(Tony leaves the room with Steve and Mike turns to his old friend with a wry expression on his face.)

"I hope you brought your cold-weather gear, Bill. I have a feeling that you just might get a rather chilly reception from my daughter."

"I really am sorry about this, Mike, but your son-in-law was the best man to run this op."

"Bill, we've been friends for a long time, but if my daughter loses her husband and my grandchild loses his or her father, you're going to wish you'd never met me. That boy is like the son I never had and I won't take kindly to anything happening to him. And it won't be just me you'll have to deal with should that happen. Libby won't bother talking; she'll simply kill you."

(Steve and Tony walk into conference room two and a huge grin breaks out on Steve's face. His team really is his team; well, mostly. Senior Chief Tim Newton, and Petty Officers Matt Brandt and Mark James are waiting for Steve along with three new faces. After warmly greeting his former, and current, teammates, Steve turns to the "new kids" and Tony introduces them as Petty Officers Joe Michaels, Peter Sanchez, and Nick Landry. The three young men appear to be in total awe of Steve, and he turns to send a mock glare in the direction of Tony and Senior Chief Newton.)

"You two been telling stories again?"

"You'd better believe it, Boss. The kids think you can walk on water."

"Guess you did your job then, Senior. All right, give me ten minutes and then we'll run the game plan."

(Steve steps out into the hall to call Sam and let her know they have a little more time before he leaves and also gives her the names of the members of his team before beginning the briefing. At Sam's request, Steve asks Tony to call her while he's going over the op with his men. When Tony talks to Sam and learns what she wants from him, he's only too happy to comply with her request. In fact, Tony helps her complete the task she has set for herself.)


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 18, 2011**

(Steve has finished his briefing and just finished answering questions from his men when Tony steps back into the room. Sensing Tony has something he wants to say, Steve turns toward him with a questioning look.)

"Lieutenant?"

"Gentlemen, Cmdr. McGarrett, that is, _Mrs_. McGarrett, would like to invite you and your wives to the McGarrett's home this evening at 1800 hours for dinner. Cmdr. McGarrett is calling your ladies as we speak to extend the invitation and she asked me to tell all of you she hopes you can attend."

(And out of the corner of his eye, Tony sees Steve's expression and smiles. Sam has taken to the role of the C.O.'s wife like a duck to water and has invited the team and their wives over for dinner prior to deployment so that all the wives can meet and get to know her, and neither Steve nor Tony has any doubt that, while Steve will be leading the SEALs on this op; Sam will be leading their wives. The immense pride Steve is feeling at the moment is obviously reflected on his face as Tony sends a grin and a nod in his direction. Steve, of course, echoes Sam's invitation.)

"Of course, they can come, Lieutenant. I'm assuming you and Kono are invited, as well?"

"Yes, Sir, along with Admiral and Mrs. Thrasher, Admiral and Mrs. Henderson, and Admiral Harte."

(One of the new kids, P.O. Joe Michaels, looking a little green around the gills, gulps nervously before he speaks up.)

"Uh, Sir, did I hear the Lieutenant call your wife 'Commander'?"

"You did. My wife is the CAG here at Pearl, and is second in command of the base. Tonight, however, I'm pretty sure she'll be perfectly happy if you call her Mrs. McGarrett and treat her like you would any other CO's wife."

"Yes, Sir. Um, Sir?"

"Yes, Petty Officer?"

"Three Admirals, Sir?"

(Both Steve and Tony are doing their best to keep straight faces. While Admirals and Petty Officers usually don't run in the same social circles, it's usually different with SEALs, and Steve does his best to allay the new kids' fears.)

"First of all, Adm. Harte is the Navy's liaison with Homeland Security and he's more or less calling the shots on this op. Secondly, Adm. Henderson is the base commander and we are all technically under his command so, yeah, he'll be heavily involved in this op. Finally, Adm. Thrasher has been assigned to this op as a special advisor, he's also a SEAL, and he just happens to be my father-in-law. You guys have nothing to worry about. And tell your wives or girlfriends not to be nervous; Commander McGar. . . _Mrs._ McGarrett is totally amazing; you're all going to love her."

(As soon as Steve dismisses his men, he and Tony head to Tony's office, which Steve is going to be using temporarily, to study some maps and toss possible op plans back and forth. After an hour, Steve decides to take a break and calls Sam.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hi, Sailor. What's up?"

"Just wanted to hear your voice. . . Sam, what you're doing tonight is, . . Well, it means a lot."

"Hey, I'm just doing what any C.O.'s wife would do before the team leaves on an op, Steve."

"Yeah, but you've never been in this position before, Sam. I mean, you're pregnant and I would have thought you'd want to spend time alone tonight, just the two of us."

"I do, Steve, and we'll have it after your team and their wives leave, and, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't throw an impromptu dinner party. Besides, Mom's already at the commissary and Kono's coming over early to help; it'll be fine."

"Still, Sam. I really appreciate this."

"Steve, if there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that, whenever a SEAL team deploys, it's the responsibility of the C.O.'s wife to host the team and their wives for dinner the night before deployment or, if the team deploys without notice, to host the wives for dinner as soon as possible after the team leaves. Mom would kill me if I didn't do my job. Besides, it's important to me that the wives know I'm here if they need or want to talk."

"You're incredible, Mrs. McGarrett, and I am one, truly blessed man."

"Yeah, well, just make sure you do your job and get everyone out of the house no later than 2100 hours. You need some sleep before you leave, and I need you."

"Consider it done, Ma'am. . . I love you, Sam."

"Love you, too, Steve."

(Shortly after 1500 hours, Sam looks up at a knock on her doorframe and smiles when she sees Adm. Henderson.)

"Admiral, please come in and have a seat. What can I do for you, Sir?"

"Just wanted to tell you that, since you're throwing this dinner party tonight, feel free to leave early if you need to, Commander. I realize this came up at the last minute, and I'm sure you have some things you need to take care of before 1800. Oh, my wife said to tell you to call her if you need help; said she'd be glad to come over early if you need her."

"Thank you, Sir, but I believe that, between my mother and Lt. Montgomery's wife and me, we've got it covered. I do appreciate Mrs. Henderson's very kind offer to help, though."

"I'm sensing a little uncertainty in your voice, Commander."

"Sir, I've never been in this position before. I mean, you know, being the C.O.'s wife. Even though I grew up as the daughter of a SEAL, I'm not sure I know what to say to the wives and girlfriends of the men on Steve's team."

"Just be yourself, Sam, and you'll do just fine. Besides, your mother will be there as well as my wife, and even though I'm not a SEAL, my wife has accompanied me many times to speak with the wives or girlfriends of the men under my command."

"Thank you, Sir, I appreciate your vote of confidence."

"No problem. Now, get out of here, Commander. We'll see you at 1800."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(At 1730 hours, Steve gets home from the base and finds both his mother-in-law's car as well as Kono's in the driveway. When he walks into the house, he hears feminine laughter coming from the kitchen and finds his wife, his mother-in-law and Kono laughing as they go about making dinner. Out on the back deck, several large, round tables have been set-up in such a manner as to provide easy conversation from one table to another without anyone having to shout. Kono is putting together a large bowl of salad, Libby is cutting up fresh apples, pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupes, and honey dew melons for fruit trays, and Sam is washing fresh vegetables in preparation for steaming them. Sam's face, when she spies Steve walking into the kitchen, lights up in a beautiful smile and she dries her hands, grabs his face, and gives him a sweet kiss.)

"Hey, Sailor."

"Hey, Beautiful. What's for dinner?"

"Salad, steamed vegetables, fresh fruit for dessert, and grilled chicken, and you're grilling the chicken; it's already marinating in the fridge."

"Sounds good. Just going to go jump in the shower."


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 18, 2011**

(Shortly before 1800 hours, Steve is getting dressed when Sam walks into their bedroom to change. In a matter of minutes, she has changed from a pair of shorts and a tee into a short, sleeveless maternity dress of mint green and a pair of white sandals. She takes her hair out of the ponytail it had been in and brushes out her shining, golden-blonde mane so that it falls in soft waves down her back and around her shoulders. The only jewelry she wears are a pair of small gold, hoop earrings, her wedding and engagement rings, a gold serpentine bracelet, and a gold and diamond cross necklace. When she puts the brush down and turns to face Steve, she smiles at the expression on his handsome face.)

"So, am I presentable?"

"You're beautiful, Sam."

"Are you sure I'm dressed appropriately? 'Cause I can change."

"Sweetheart, you're perfect; don't change a thing."

"Really? I want to do this right, Steve. I want to make a positive impression on your team and their wives because I want them to feel comfortable talking to me and being around me."

"They will, Sam. Just be yourself. I really appreciate you doing this for my guys and their wives, Sam."

"I'm not doing it just for them, Steve; I'm doing it for you."

(Before Steve can respond, the doorbell rings and Lt. Cmdr. and Mrs. McGarrett head downstairs to start greeting their guests, hand in hand. Within a few minutes, all of their guests have arrived and Steve, standing out on the back deck with his father-in-law, Admirals Henderson and Harte, and Tony, watches his wife as she gracefully moves from group to group smiling and laughing, and getting to know people. Libby is sitting at one of the tables with Louise Henderson and is also watching her daughter. Mrs. Henderson follows Libby's gaze.)

"Your daughter's a beautiful young woman, Libby, and she's a natural at this. You must be very proud of her."

"Indeed, I am, Louise, but I'm worried about her, too. She's nearly five month pregnant and her husband is leaving in a few hours on a dangerous op."

"From what I know of Cmdr. McGarrett, I'm sure she'll be just fine. Allen says she's one of the finest Officers he's ever served with, and those under her command seem to be very fond of her."

"I appreciate that, Louise, and Sam _is_ an excellent Officer and pilot, but this . . . This is an entirely different situation altogether."

"She'll be fine, Libby. She's putting the other wives at ease and letting them know she's there for them, and we both know how important that is when your husband is off somewhere doing something he can't discuss with you. And, taking care of the other wives will help Sam, as well. She'll be so busy with her duties at the base and checking in with the other wives that she won't have time to worry about her husband."

"Oh, she'll be busy all right, but don't ever, for one, single second, believe that Sam won't be thinking about Steve. I'm just praying that she won't stress herself out to the point of making herself sick."

"She won't; you won't let her. And, if you ever need me to help out, to talk with her, whatever you or Sam need; just call me. You know I'll be more than happy to pitch in,"

"Thank you, Louise, I appreciate that, but the only thing that's going to keep Sam from getting stressed out is to have Steve back in one piece."

(Steve finally announces that the chicken is ready and Sam and Kono bring out the salad, steamed vegetables, and the fruit trays, and everyone fills their plates and sits down to eat. Totally throwing protocol out the window, Sam and Steve opt to sit at the table with the three newest members of Steve's team and their wives, and Libby couldn't approve more. It is more than obvious that the three young men and their wives are a little intimidated by Sam and Steve, but the McGarrett's quickly put the fears of the six people at their table to rest. By the time they've finished eating, the young men's wives and Sam are on a first name basis and Sam and Tricia Sanchez are swapping information about their pregnancies. Tricia and her husband Pete have a two year old son, and she, like Sam, had a very easy first trimester. As everyone is finishing their dinner, Sam stands up and gets everyone's attention.)

"Thank you all for joining us for dinner tonight. I wanted all of us to have this time together because I think it's important for you ladies to know that you have someone you can talk to while your husbands are away should your want to need to, and I also want you to know that my door is always open and I'm only a phone call away. Please don't hesitate to call me anytime, day or night. I left cards on the tables with my home, office, and cellular numbers and both our home and my office email addresses. And don't worry, Adm. Henderson has no problem with you calling me when I'm on duty. He well understands the need for a strong support system for wives when their husbands are deployed, so please, feel free to call me at any time. Now, I know that, for some of you, this is the first time your husband has deployed, so does anyone have any questions? If I can't answer them, I'm sure my mother or Mrs. Montgomery or Mrs. Henderson can."

(And Joe Michaels' wife, Melanie, speaks up.)

"Actually, Commander, I do have a question. As you said, this is the first time Joe has deployed, and I was wondering, well, since they're leaving at four o'clock in the morning and have to be at the base at three, well, is it all right if we go to the base to, you know, see them off?"

"It's Sam, and absolutely you can go to the base and see them off. I'm certainly going to be there. They'll be making sure all of their equipment is in order and going over some things with my husband and Adm. Harte when they first arrive so we ladies will just hang out in my office at the Flight Ops building until they're ready to leave. Anyone else?"

(And Sam answers several more questions, mostly from the wives of the three newest members of the team, like she's been doing it all her life. Libby, Mike, and Steve are all three about to bust with pride, and Adm. and Mrs. Henderson look on with smiles on their faces. By the time Sam has answered the last question, she has every wife present looking at her with complete trust on their faces and their husbands looking very grateful. Adm. Henderson, also wanting to put the ladies at ease as much as possible, stands up when Sam is through to add his comments.)

"Well, I believe you can all understand now why I am very grateful to have Cmdr. McGarrett in my command. She's an excellent Officer, CAG, and now, I can add Officer's wife to that list. I just want you ladies to know that you are more than welcome at the Flight Ops building, so please feel free to come by and see Cmdr. McGarrett anytime."

(Everyone pitches in to help clean up and it isn't long before the SEALs and their wives start to take their leave. By 2100 hours, everyone is finally gone and Sam and Steve lock up and head upstairs to their bedroom.)


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 18, 2011**

(Sam is quiet as she removes her earrings and bracelet and places them in her jewelry box and slips her feet out of her sandals, and Steve knows that these last few hours they are going to have together for an indefinite period of time are weighing heavily on her. They're weighing fairly heavily on him, as well. With everything that happened today, meeting with Adm. Harte and meeting his team, going over the details of the op, getting their gear together and double-checking everything, and hosting his men and their wives for dinner, Steve hasn't really had time to dwell on leaving Sam; but he does now, and it's about to kill him. Wordlessly, Sam walks over to him and presents him with her back while pulling her hair out of the way, and Steve unzips her dress placing a gentle kiss on her neck. She offers him a small smile as she removes her dress, hangs it back in the closet, and walks into the bathroom to slip into a gown and brush her teeth. Steve takes off his shoes, socks, polo shirt and khakis and joins Sam in the bathroom to brush his teeth, as well. Sam is wearing a lacy gown in peach silk and it happens to be one that she knows Steve really likes. Another smile as Sam finishes her task and walks back into their bedroom where she slides into their bed and moves closer to the middle. Not wanting to waste one, precious second of their time together, Steve finishes brushing his teeth, and walks back into their bedroom where he sheds his shorts and slides into bed pulling Sam into his strong arms. For a little while, they just lay there, Sam's head on Steve's muscled chest and his arms holding her tightly, while each of them memorizes the feel of the other. Sam raises her head and looks up at Steve, her eyes filled with love and desire.)

"Make love to me Steve."

(Her soft, nearly whispered words are almost his undoing because, although Sam hasn't shed one tear since learning that Steve was being deployed, hasn't gotten angry or yelled or screamed or ranted or raved or cursed, he knows that she's been torn up inside, and he can hear all her anger and frustration and. . Pain in those five words. Steve is feeling some pain himself at the moment. Leaving Sam in a few hours is going to be one of the hardest things he's ever done in his entire life. For just a moment, the irony of the situation flits through his brain: for more years than he cares to remember he tried to get Sam to make a commitment to him, to marry him and she ran, and now that they're not only married but expecting a baby, he's leaving her. Staring down into her beautiful, emerald green eyes Steve tries to convey all the love he has inside him to her as he slowly closes the distance between them and captures her mouth with his in an achingly sweet kiss. They make love slowly, each of them taking their time exploring the other with hands and mouths, memorizing every inch of skin, processing each and every softly uttered moan and gasp, both of them trying to store these memories away in their hearts. . . Sam's eyes are closed as she loses herself in the sensations created by Steve's hands and mouth on her body. Even though her heart is perilously close to breaking, Sam is determined that Steve _will not_ see her cry and she concentrates on what's happening between them. Far too soon, Steve takes her to a magical, intensely pleasurable place that only he can, and Sam is shaking inside and out as her release washes over her, over them both and Steve follows her to Paradise. . .

At 0245 hours the following morning, Sam and Steve arrive at the base and Steve parks his truck at the Flight Ops building. The SEALs building is not far away but he doesn't want Sam to have to walk too far when she leaves the base. Steve is carrying his gear bag with one hand, but his other is firmly holding Sam's; their fingers interlocked. When they reach the SEALs building and enter the largest of the conference rooms, they find that, in addition to Steve's men and their wives and Admirals Henderson and Harte, Tony, and Mike, several other people have come to see them off, as well. Libby, Caroline, Danny, Kono with little Eric, Lana, and Chin are all present. After checking their gear and going over a few things, Steve and his men rejoin the group there to see them off, and Steve stops in his tracks when he walks in to room and sees Sam holding little Eric Montgomery and smiling down into his sweet face. Mike notices what has captured his son-in-law's attention and walks over to join him.)

"Won't be long until Sam will be holding your baby like that. Make sure you get your six back here in one piece so you can see that for yourself, Son."

"Yeah. . . Mike, you're going to be aware of what's happening with this op every step of the way. I need to know that if. . . If I don't make it back, it something happens to me and it's . .Swear to me you won't. . I don't want Sam to know if it's bad. Tell her I died quickly and didn't suffer, and for God's sake, if I come back in bits and pieces, don't let her see me; not matter what."

"Steve, . . "

"Promise me, Mike! I want Sam to remember me the way I am right now. I don't want her torturing herself thinking I was in pain or suffered or. . ."

"All right, Son, I promise you. You just stay focused on what you're doing. Sam isn't the only person who'll be hurt if something happens to you."

(The time for the SEALs to be wheels up has arrived and the others present stand respectfully aside on the flight line as seven men and seven women say their good byes. Melanie Michaels, Tricia Sanchez, and Casey Landry are all in tears though they're doing their best to control them. Sam and Steve, standing slightly apart from the group, only have eyes for each other and their eyes are saying things to one another. Steve takes Sam in his arms and kisses her deeply, wishing with all his might that he didn't have to board the C-130 sitting just behind them but knowing he must. When he lifts his head from hers, she smiles up at him as their arms loosen their hold.)

"Go take care of business, Sailor, so you can come back home to me and McBaby."

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll call you, Sweetheart, just as soon as I can."

"I know. I love you, Steve."

"I love you, too, Sam. With all my heart."

(Steve bends down and gently kisses Sam's baby bump and allows his hand to remain there just a moment. One more kiss and the seven SEALs are walking up the rear ramp of the C-130 and it's taxing down the runway. In minutes, the aircraft is in the night sky and getting smaller and smaller as it gains altitude. The three newest members of 'the club' totally lose it and start sobbing in earnest. Wordlessly, Sam, Kono, and Libby each move to comfort the young women and talk steadily to them all the way back to the parking lot. When the ladies have pulled themselves together, they bid everyone goodnight and head home. Caroline and Lana are in honest to goodness awe of what they've just seen and Caroline is concerned that, now that Steve is gone and she's taken care of the other wives, Sam is going to lose it. Sam however, seems to be very in control and is even smiling as she waves to Melanie Michaels. In fact, Sam suggests that everyone head back home. It's 0415 hours and they all need to get some sleep. Libby reluctantly watches Sam get into Steve's truck and drive home. She had wanted to go back to the McGarrett's and stay the rest of the night, but Mike convinced her that Sam needed a little time to herself and would be fine. With Sam's promise to call first thing in the morning, Libby let her go. But she's still very, very worried about her daughter.)


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 18, 2011**

(Since they all live so close together, Caroline and Danny and Kono and Tony follow Sam home. Caroline and Danny until they turn off to go to their house, and Kono and Tony follow her into her driveway. Sam is a little puzzled, but not upset and Tony has gotten out and opens the truck door for her.)

"Tony, it's four-thirty in the morning, don't you guys need to get Eric home?"

"We're going to, Sam, but I promised Steve we'd make sure you got home okay. In fact, I'm going to walk you to the door and make sure you get inside before we leave, so, if you want Eric to get home and into his bed, don't argue."

"I wouldn't dream of arguing. Thank you, Tony. Steve and I are very blessed to have people like you and Kono in our lives."

"No problem. I appreciate you all taking care of Kono while I was deployed."

(True to his word, Tony waits until Sam has gone inside and locked the door before he returns to Kono and Eric waiting in the car and they, too, head home. .

Sam heads upstairs and flips the switch at the top of the stairs to turn off the light in the stairway and heads toward their bedroom where a soft glow from the lamp on her bedside table shines warmly. A small smile is playing around Sam's mouth and she really is thankful to have such a wonderful, supportive family. . .

The smile quickly disappears from Sam's face, however, when she steps into the master bedroom and her eyes fall on the bed she shares with Steve. The covers are thrown back and Steve's pillow stills holds the indentation of his head. The house is completely silent and the walls begin to close in on Sam. Woodenly walking to the bed, Sam slowly crawls into the middle and lovingly runs her had over the indentation in Steve's pillow. Suddenly, there in their bedroom all alone, the dam breaks and Sam's tears fall in earnest. Hugging Steve's pillow tightly to her body and inhaling his scent, Sam's sobs are the only sound in the entire house. Her entire body shakes as all the pain and fear and frustration she's been holding back for the better part of two days pours out of her. Sam begins to imagine all kinds of horrible things that could happen to Steve. She's a naval Officer, she's been forced to eject behind enemy lines, she knows exactly what types of mind-shattering, horrible things the enemy can do to a person, and she's scared nearly out of her mind. Her sobs become louder as her imagination runs wild, and she's crying so hard she can hardly breathe. What if Steve is captured and tortured? What if he's exposed to the biological agent? What if, what if, what if! . . .

The flight ahead of them is a long one and Steve advises his men to get as comfortable as possible and grab a nap as it may very well be their last chance to do so for quite some time. He leans his head back against the wall of the plane and closes his eyes but knows sleep will elude him. He hasn't been gone an hour and he's already feeling Sam's absence keenly. A sardonic smile crosses his face as he suddenly realizes something; there was a time in his life when he thought there was nothing better in the world than being a Navy SEAL and flying all over the planet on dangerous ops, adrenaline pumping through his body and giving him a rush when the op was successful. Transferring to the Reserves and becoming head of the Governor's Task Force seemed tame in comparison and, if it had not been for the fact that he might be able to bring his father's murderer to justice, he would have turned the Governor down. Sure he was thinking about transferring out of the teams so he could finally be a position to convince Sam to marry him, but the thought that he could always go back to the teams was always there. Now. . . Now, Steve wants nothing more than to be able to go home to his wife, and in a few months, his child every night for the rest of his life. He almost laughs at the irony. He finally got everything he's ever wanted and he didn't truly realize it. Hopefully, he didn't learn his lesson too late. . .

Sam's breath is coming in short gasps and she is crying so hard that her pillow is wet. Her heart is breaking into a million pieces, shattered by her fears for Steve, and her head is pounding. Quite suddenly, Sam feels a very healthy kick, and both hands instantly cradle her baby bump.)

"Oh, God, McBaby, are you all right? Mommy hasn't hurt you, has she?"

(Another kick.)

"I'm sorry if Mommy's crying upset you, little one. Mommy's very sad. Daddy. . . Daddy had to go away for a while to try and catch some very bad men, and Mommy misses him so much. Your Daddy. . . Your Daddy is amazing. He's strong and brave and he has more honor in his little finger than most people have in their whole body. He works very hard every day of his life to make sure that people are safe. He would probably have a fit if he knew I said this, but he's one of the sweetest, more romantic people I know, too. Just the other day. .

(And thinking about the wonderfully romantic evening Steve gave her a couple of nights earlier, Sam dissolves into tears again. For several minutes, Sam can't help it and allows the tears to flow freely. Finally, she gets herself under control, once again, and resumes her conversation with her baby.)

"Daddy and I love you so much, little one, and we can't wait until your born so we can hold you. Go back to sleep, little love. Mommy's here and I'm not going anywhere. I love you, McBaby."

(Sam, exhausted after her emotional outburst, falls asleep in the middle of the huge bed, hugging Steve's pillow tightly and rubbing slow circles on her baby bump. As if knowing that Mommy needed someone to get her attention before she made herself sick, McBaby kicked, causing Mommy to focus and calm down, and now that Mommy has drifted off to sleep and can rest, so does McBaby. . .

Senior Chief Newton has been watching Steve for quite some time and he's a little concerned. The Senior Chief has served with Steve for a while and knows him fairly well, but he's never seen the Boss like this before. From the moment Senior Chief Newton met Samantha McGarrett several years ago, he had no doubt that the Boss was going to marry her one day. It took him less than thirty seconds to figure out that Steve and Sam were head over heels in love with one another and, if he's honest, were made for one another. He's had the pleasure of watching their love for one another grow with time, and he was exceedingly pleased to attend their wedding. When Sam was forced to eject behind enemy lines, the Senior Chief was part of the SEAL team who extracted her, and his life flashed before his eyes when he watched helplessly as she was shot attempting to reach a rescue helo. He grieved with Sam and Steve when they learned she had lost the baby they didn't even know she was carrying, and he saw how strong they both were even though they had suffered a tragedy. He remembers the night of the Boss' surprise birthday party when Steve opened Sam's gift. Steve's eyes filled with tears as he gazed on the white baby bib with the words, "I Love My Daddy", written in gold and green threads, and then Steve kissed Sam like there was no tomorrow right there in front of everybody and not caring one bit. If there were ever two people who deserved a "happily, ever after", it's Steve and Sam McGarrett. Senior Chief Newton knows that Steve will keep his wits about him and will lead his team with skill and cunning and make sure they accomplish their mission because Steve McGarrett is just about the best SEAL Newton has ever seen, barring none. However, Senior Chief Tim Newton makes up his mind, right then and there, to make sure that Sam and Steve get their happily ever after and then some; starting with this op.)


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 18, 2011**

(Sam awakens shortly before the alarm goes off and realizes that she slept in the maternity jeans and shirt she wore to the base when Steve left. She also realizes that she must look terrible after having cried for so long and so hard, but there's nothing she can do about it at this point. Sighing heavily, she hauls herself out of bed and takes a hot shower. Minutes later, she's dressed in her uniform and headed down the stairs debating on whether or not she wants breakfast, and, just like that, sadness overtakes her and she has to stop a moment to collect herself. Well, that certainly did the trick. The very thought of going into the kitchen set her off because she knows that Steve won't be there. Grabbing her briefcase and cover, Sam is out the door and in Steve's truck in no time flat. Silly as it sounds, she's decided to drive his truck while he's gone because it somehow makes her feel closer to him. _Get a grip, McGarrett! You are totally losing it! _But her admonishment to herself is falling on deaf ears and she knows it. Furthermore, she doesn't really care. Whatever it takes to get through this deployment is exactly what she intends to do. And on that note and remembering how Steve teased her a few days ago, she stops at McDonald's and gets a McMuffin for her and McBaby, smiling as she does so. But then, tears well up in her eyes because she can't call Steve and tell him she's having a McMuffin for breakfast. _Stop this, Sam! You have a job to do so stop feeling sorry for yourself and straighten up. Steve would be so disappointed in you!_ And with _that _thought comes a new determination to get her act together and do her duty. .

Upon landing at Ramstein, Steve and his team were briefed on the latest intel concerning Alexei Kasavich. It seems that, although the man is supposedly still en route to Jalalabad, Afghanistan to pick up the biological weapon he's paid for, he's decided to make a stop in Istanbul, Turkey. So far, the only reason the C.I.A. can discern for this stop is so that Kasavich can see his girlfriend who lives there. This information doesn't sit well with Steve; while he's separated from his wife, Kasavich is spending time with his girlfriend. Now, Steve's pissed and more determined than ever to take Kasavich down. After consulting via a teleconference with Admiral Harte and Mike, Steve decides to go ahead and take his team to Jalalabad so they can do some recon and be ready to move as soon as Kasavich shows up. However, due to a weather front, their departure from Ramstein is going to be delayed for four to six hours. Although he doesn't say so, Mike is glad for the delay; Steve and his men had a long flight from Honolulu and they could use a couple of hours of sleep in real beds. Deciding on a time for the SEALs to leave Ramstein, weather permitting, Steve waits until he sees Adm. Harte leave the conference room before he makes a request of Mike. After hearing what he son-in-law wants, Mike smiles in amusement and tells Steve he believes he can make it happen, but only if Steve promises to get some real sleep in a real bed. Steve is only too happy to agree to Mike's terms, and they set a time for the next teleconference link. . .

Sam is working on her desktop computer when she catches movement out of the corner of her eye and turns toward the door of her office to find her father just raising his hand to knock on the doorframe. Smiling, Sam gets up and walks around the desk to meet Mike and get a hug.)

"Hey, Dad, what are you doing over here?"

"I come bearing a message from Steve."

"Really? What?"

"They're stuck at Ramstein for the moment because of a weather front, so they're getting some rack time. However, at 1600, there's going to be a teleconference call from here to there and your husband has requested your presence. So, can you be over at 'SEAL Central' at 1600 hours, or have you got something more pressing going on around here?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course, I'll be there at 1600. How much time will we have?"

"I'll give the two of you as much time as I can, Sam, but remember that this is on the government's dime and satellite time isn't cheap."

"I know, Dad, and so does Steve. I think, maybe, we just need to see each other."

"How bad was it, Sweetheart?"

"How bad was what?"

"Samantha, I kept your mother from going back over to your house and staying the rest of the night because I knew you needed some time to yourself. The least you can do is tell me the truth and not beat around the bush doing it."

"It was . . .Pretty bad. I started crying almost the instant I walked through the front door and didn't stop for a long time. In fact, if it hadn't of been for the baby, I'd probably still be crying. McBaby hauled off and gave me a pretty decent kick to get my attention, and then I started talking to the baby, and I eventually fell asleep. My eyes were killing me when I woke up this morning and I'm sure I still look like Hell."

"You look beautiful, Sweetheart. I figured it was about time for you to have a good, long cry and I knew your mother would probably give you her 'now, now don't cry. Steve wouldn't want you to cry" speech, and you'd hold it all in and that can't possibly be good for you or my grandchild. We're going to keep this between ourselves, though, Sam. Don't want your mother getting mad at either of us, okay?"

"Yes, Sir, and, thanks, Dad. I did need to get some things out of my system, and you're right, Mom would have totally freaked."

"Okay, then. Where's Caroline?"

"About seventy miles out in the Pacific until 1500."

"Well, then, how about I take you to lunch at the O Club, Commander?"

"I think that would be wonderful, Admiral."


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 19, 2011**

(At 1230 hours, Mike picks Sam up at Flight Operations and they make the quick drive over to the Officer's Club. He waits until they are walking to the entrance from the parking lot to tell Sam that Adm. Harte will be joining them for lunch, but Sam doesn't appear the be upset by this news. Mike, knowing his daughter well, doesn't say anything, but he's also wondering if his friend Bill Harte isn't in for a rough time. Adm. Harte is already seated at their table, and he stands up as Sam and Mike approach. After pulling out Sam's chair for her, he smiles pleasantly in her direction once they're all seated.)

"I hope you don't mind me joining you and your father, Commander. When Mike told me you two were having lunch today, I asked him if I could join you. Actually, I've wanted to speak with you since yesterday morning, but, well, with the urgent nature of your husband's deployment, there just wasn't an appropriate time until now."

"Why is it you wanted to speak with me, Admiral?" 

"I want to apologize to you, Commander, for recalling your husband to active duty and sending him on this op, particularly since you and Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett are expecting your first child. You must understand, however, that Alexei Kasavich must be stopped. He must not be allowed to attack Honolulu or any other U.S. city with biological weapons. I felt that, since he was so involved with the arrest and capture of Alexei's brother, Dimitri, and since he's a SEAL and one of the best from everything I've heard, your husband would be the perfect choice to command the team of SEALs sent to either capture or eliminate Alexei Kasavich. I can't begin to know how difficult this must be for both of you, and if there's ever anything I can do for either of you, please let me know."

"Actually, Admiral, there is something you can do."

(Mike listens intently as Sam explains to Adm. Harte in great detail exactly what she wants him to do and why she wants him to do it, and Mike is hard-pressed to keep a smile off his face. His daughter is known as an outstanding Officer and pilot, but she's a brilliant tactician, as well and Mike is witnessing her brilliance first-hand. By the time she's through, Bill Harte is almost ready to promise her the moon, but he readily agrees to give Sam what she wants. Once her objective has been obtained, Sam sits back and relaxes and thoroughly enjoys her lunch. As they are driving back to the Flight Ops building, Mike notices the smug, "cat that got the cream" expression on Sam's face and can't help but grin.)

"Sweetheart, the next time one of my friends at the Pentagon is having trouble getting what they need from congress, I'm going to suggest they call you to mediate on their behalf. You played Bill Harte like Yo Yo Ma plays the cello. It was truly a work of art, Sam."

"Come on, Dad. Adm. Harte asked if there was anything he could do for me or Steve, and I just took him up on his offer. It wasn't like I asked for the moon or anything."

"No, Sam, you didn't, but still . . . I loved watching you work, Honey. You were brilliant! Wait until I tell your mother."

"Um, Dad, I want to keep this a secret, please."

"A secret? I can't even tell your mother?"

"No, Dad. I really want to keep this a secret; I want Steve to be surprised, okay? And, Dad, he cannot know I had anything to do with this."

"He's going to find out eventually, Sam."

"Maybe so, but not because anyone volunteered the information!"

"All right, Sweetheart. Whatever makes you happy. See you at 1600."

" 'Kay, bye Dad. I love you,"

"I love you, too, Sam."

(Sam heads back into her office and it suddenly dawns on her that she hasn't heard from her mother all morning. Finding that somewhat unsettling, Sam quickly calls Libby's cellular number and waits for her to answer. Finally, Libby picks up and there's a lot of noise in the background."

"Hello, Sam, dear. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Just got back from having lunch with Dad. I was a little surprised you didn't call me this morning."

"Well, I was going to, Sam, but your father reminded me that he would be seeing you at the base and would let me know if you weren't all right, so I decided to take his advice and give you some space. Are you really all right, Sam?"

"Yes, Mom, I'm really all right. When I got home this morning, I, well, I had a good, cleansing cry, but I'm fine now. Promise."

"Sam, I've had a lot of 'good, cleansing' cries in my time and, yes, I felt better for a little while afterward, but don't let yourself be fooled into thinking one, good crying jag and you're done. The shortest op your father ever went on lasted three days and I had a least four good crying spells

during that op! You know I'm going to worry about you in that great, big house all by yourself while Steve's gone so will you promise me something? Will you please call me the next time you feel like turning on the water works? And it's not just for your sake that I'm asking this of you, Sam; it's for mine, as well. Mothers like to feel needed even when their children are married adults."

"Oh, Mom, I will always need you, and if I've said or done anything to make you believe otherwise, please forgive me!"

"I didn't say you had, Sam. Guess I'm just feeling a little down in the dumps myself. I know you love me, Sweetie, and I love you very, very much. I'm just worried about you, Sam."

"I'm fine, Mom, really, please don't worry. Hey, Dad and Adm. Harte have a teleconference call with Steve at 1600 and I've been invited to go over and talk with him for a couple of minutes."

"Good! Tell my son-in-law I said to be very careful, take care of those nasty men, and come home, and that I love him."

"I will, Mom. Hey, where are you anyway?"

"At the mall, dear, looking for things for the baby, of course."

"Honestly, Mom, you're going to buy the baby so many clothes he or she will never be able to wear them all."

"Well, since we won't know if it's a boy or girl until you deliver, half of them are going to have to go back anyway, Sam, so it just doesn't matter. Now, have a wonderful rest of the day and don't forget to give Steve my love."

"Yes, Ma'am. Love you, Mom."


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 19, 2011**

**A/N: The events in this chapter are occurring at the same time as the events in the previous chapter. I didn't want to write the two chapters together because I didn't want to confuse anyone. Hopefully, with this explanation, the two chapters will make more sense. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, and, if you've been reading but not reviewing, please do! I love hearing from my readers and your reviews are the only way I know if you love, like, or totally hate what I'm doing! Michelle**

(Danny, Kono, and Chin have been busy spending most of the morning researching Alexei Kasavich and tracking down any of his known associates who might be living in Hawaii. The problem is, information about Alexei is extremely sketchy and they are awaiting responses from the F.B.I. and C.I.A. to their inquiries. Danny has had an idea floating around in his head for the past several hours and decides to run it by Kono and Chin. They're at the smart table looking over what little information they have on Kasavich so Danny walks out of his office and joins them.)

"I've been thinking, guys."

"Did it hurt?"

"Did what hurt, Kono?"

"Your brain, Danny. Did thinking make your brain hurt?"

"Seriously? What, Steve's not here for a few days and you're going to pick up his slack?"

"Sorry, what were you thinking?" 

"I'm thinking that someone needs to go to, . What federal prison is Dimitri Kasavich in?"

"Hang on. . . He's at the United States Penitentiary at Tucson, Arizona."

"I'm thinking someone needs to go to Tucson and have a talk with our old friend, Dimitri."

"Yeah, I'm thinking I agree with you, Brah. Think the Governor will go for it?"

"Only one way to find out. You two keep digging and see what you can find on baby brother. I'm headed upstairs."

(Danny calls the Governor's office as he is walking to the elevator and by the time he gets off on the Governor's floor, her secretary tells him to go right in to her private office. Gov. Jameson smiles warmly at the blonde detective and invites him to take a sear in the conversational grouping where she joins him.)

"Good morning, Det. Williams. I assume you're here because you have a lead on Alexei Kasavich.)

"Not exactly, Ma'am. We've been searching every database we possibly can but haven't turned up much so far. Dimitri Kasavich is currently being held in the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona, and I'm thinking someone needs to fly out there and talk to him, face to face. As far as we can tell, Alexei Kasavich has never been involved in any kind of illegal activities in his life until now. He's only twenty-four years old, so we're thinking that his brother might be willing to provide us with some information that may help us apprehend Alexei. I'd like your permission to fly to Tucson and question Dimitri."

"By all means, do whatever you think best. You are, after all, in charge of Five-0 until Steve returns. I'm assuming that you'll want to leave as soon as possible?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I've already checked and I can be on the two o'clock flight this afternoon. If all goes well, I should be gone no more than two or three days at the most. Det. Kelly will be in charge while I'm gone and he and Off. Montgomery will continue working with Homeland, the C.I.A. and Adm. Thrasher at Pearl on this end."

"All right, I'll have my secretary make your airline and hotel reservations and I'll send an expense voucher down to you office as soon as possible. . Have you heard from Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett since he left?"

"No, Ma'am, not yet, but I'm sure he'll check in as soon as he can."

"How is Sam?"

"She was doing surprisingly well the last time I saw her at four o'clock this morning. She and Steve had the men on his team and their wives over for dinner last night and my father-in-law said Sam was a real trooper."

"Good. Still, this has got to be extremely difficult for her; especially since she's pregnant. I'll be checking on her personally, but you let me know if there's anything she needs while Steve's gone, and please ask your wife to call me in your absence."

"Yes, Ma'am, and thank you. I know Sam and Steve both appreciate your kind offer."

"I promised Steve that Sam and that baby would be taken care of while he's gone and I intend to make sure that they are. Please call me after you've spoken with Dimitri Kasavich, Detective. Perhaps he will be willing to assist us in apprehending his brother and God only knows we need all the help we can get. Have a safe trip, Detective."

(Danny stops back by the office only long enough to let Kono and Chin know the Governor approved the trip to Tucson and put together some information he wants to take with him. The Governor sends an expense voucher and the confirmation information for Danny's flight and hotel reservations down to the Five-0 offices, and Danny is soon headed home to pack. He calls Caroline on the way to their house and prays she isn't going to be too angry with him for his spur-of-the-moment trip.)

"Lt. Williams."

"Hey, listen I'm flying to Tucson at two o'clock this afternoon to see Dimitri Kasavich and see if he'll give us any information that might help us catch his brother. I shouldn't be gone more than two or three days at the most. Caroline, I'm sorry. I know this is a last minute thing, Honey, but it's something that needs to be done."

"Don't be sorry, Romeo, anything that will help Steve catch this maniac is something I support wholeheartedly; even if it means we have to be apart for a few days."

"I really am sorry, Caroline."

"Danny, I'll be fine. In fact, since you and Steve will both be gone for a while, I might just go stay with Sam. I really don't want to be at home all by myself and, for all her blustering about being okay, I really don't think she is; besides Mom would feel much better if Sam wasn't alone. Have you got time to have lunch with me before you go?"

"Absolutely. Why don't I meet you at that little, Italian place right outside the base at eleven o'clock?"

"I'll be there, Romeo."


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 19, 2011**

**A/N: Okay, I deliberately placed a "conundrum" in the last chapter to see who's paying attention. If you think you know what it is, send me a private message. The first person who sends me the correct answer gets to have their very own idea added to this story with full acknowledgement and credit! Just thought I'd add a little fun to things! Michelle**

(Around 1530 hours that afternoon, Caroline "breezes" into Sam's office and is relieved to see that her sister appears to be fine. In fact, Sam seems to be excited about something and that surprises Caroline.)

"Hey, what's got you in such a good mood?"

"I'm going to get to see and talk to my husband in about thirty minutes."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Dad and Adm. Harte have a teleconference call with Steve at 1600, and I've been invited to participate."

"Good. Tell my brother-in-law not to drag his feet. Listen, Sam, Danny left at 1400 headed to Tucson to talk to Dimitri Kasavich and see if he can get anything to help Steve out; he's probably going to be gone two or three days. I was thinking that, since both Steve and Danny were out of town for a few days, I'd stay with you until one or both of them get back. That okay with you?"

"Of course it's okay with me, Caroline. We haven't had a good old-fashioned "spend the night" since we were kids, and it'll make Mom extremely happy."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Okay, then, I'll run by the house and get some things after I get off duty and meet you and your place."

"Sounds good. In fact, why don't we go out and get some dinner; just the two of us. It's been a long time since I got to spend some quality time with my sister."

"Deal. Any idea where you want to go?"

"Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something by the time we both get to the house."

" 'Kay. Go talk to tall, dark, and extremely sexy."

(Sam is in the conference room at the SEAL's building ten minutes early and Tony, who's already there laying out folders of information for both Mike and Adm. Harte, grins broadly when she walks through the door.)

"Commander, you're full of sunshine this afternoon."

"Indeed, I am, Lieutenant. I'm about to get to see and talk to my husband for a few minutes."

"Sam, it's only been eleven hours since you last saw him."

"Yeah, Tony, I know, but . . ."

"Say no more; I understand completely."

(Sam's father and Adm. Harte enter the room and talk pleasantly with Sam while they wait for the teleconference to begin. Soon, the large screen mounted on the wall in one end of the room blinks a couple of times and then Steve appears standing in typical Alpha male mode. When he sees Sam sitting at the conference table, a huge grin spreads across his face. As soon as Adm. Harte finishes discussing the time table for the op with Steve, he turns the conversation over to Sam and he, Mike, and Tony quietly slip out of the room.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. Listen, Steve, Danny's gone to Tucson to talk with Dimitri Kasavich. He thinks Dimitri may give him some information that would be helpful to you on this op."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. . . Are you okay, Sweetheart?"

"I'm good, Steve, really. In fact, since you and Danny are both gone, Caroline's going to stay at the house with me for a few days, and we're going out to dinner tonight."

"Good for you and Caroline. You two haven't had the chance to spend much time together for a while; this will be good for you both."

"Yeah, and maybe Mom won't have a complete meltdown now that Caroline's going to be with me at the house."

"Cut your mom some slack, Sam. She loves you and she's just worried about you. After all, you _are_ carrying her grandchild."

"I know, and you're right. By the way, Mom said to tell you she loves you and to be careful and Caroline said to tell you not to drag your feet."

"Tell your mom I love her, too, and tell Caroline I don't plan to. . . Are you really okay, Baby?"

"I'm really okay, Steve. Promise, and I'll be a lot better when you come home, so do what Caroline said and don't drag your feet on this one."

"I won't. Listen, Sam, I have to go. The weather's cleared and we're getting ready to take off. Baby, I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you again, but I promise that I'll be in touch as soon as possible. I love you, Sam, you and McBaby. I'll talk to you soon."

" 'Kay. We love you, too, Steve. Just come home to us as soon as you can, and be careful."

(Sam sits in the conference room for several minutes after the teleconference ends, and Mike finds her there, just staring off into space, when he walks in a few minutes later.)

"You okay, Sweetheart?"

"I'm good, Dad."

"Your mother and I were thinking you might like to come over for dinner tonight. You up for that?"

"Actually, Dad, since Danny's going to be gone for a few days, Caroline's going come over and stay at the house with me, and we thought we'd go out for dinner tonight; just the two of us."

"I think that's an excellent idea, Sam, and I know your mother will be very happy knowing your sister's staying with you. You girls have a good time, but call us when you get home. You know how your mother worries."

"I know, and we'll call. . . Thank you, Dad, for making it possible for be to be in on the teleconference. I think it did both of us a lot of good."

"You're welcome, Honey, and I'll keep you up to date on what's happening with Steve's team. Now, go finish up whatever it is you need to do before you leave for the day so you and your sister can have a great dinner and relax. Love you, Sam."

"I love you, too, Dad."

(Mike gives his daughter a hug and watches her walk out of the conference room. He knows things are about to get serious with Steve's op and he knows that Sam realizes that, as well. Mike has every confidence in the world in Steve and his abilities, but he knows that anything could happen and he sends up a prayer asking for his son-in-law's safe return.)


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 19, 2011**

(Sam gets home from the base around 1730 hours and heads straight upstairs to change out of her uniform and into something more comfortable. She decides on a short, sleeveless maternity sundress that's white with multi-colored polka dots and her white sandals, and quickly takes her hair out of its French braid and brushes it out. Adding the same, small gold earrings and bracelet she wore the night before, her cross necklace as well as a gold, serpentine anklet, and her gold watch to her wedding and engagement rings, which she _never_ takes off, and freshening her make up, Sam is satisfied with her reflection as she looks in the bathroom mirror. Glancing at her watch, she sees that it has taken her all of fifteen minutes to get ready to go out to dinner with Caroline, and she grins as she realizes that, when Steve's around, it usually takes her a lot longer; especially if Steve's "frisky" which he is most of the time. Right on the heels of that thought comes a pang of sadness because Steve's _not_ there. _Damn it, Samantha, you've got to stop this! You cannot walk around all day laughing one minute and wanting to cry the next; people will think you've lost your mind! Get a grip, Commander, and do it now!_ After giving herself this little "pep talk" Sam puts the essentials into a white, clutch purse and heads downstairs. The last time she spoke with her sister, Caroline told Sam she would be at the McGarrett's no later than 1800 hours. _Well, geez Sam, you should have known better. _Caroline is perpetually late. In fact, it wouldn't surprise Sam in the least if Caroline isn't late to her own funeral. And _that_ was most definitely the wrong thought to have, because just the thought of the word, "funeral", sends Sam into another spiral of sadness and grief. Tears actually well up in her eyes before she feels the baby kick and her attention is re-focused. Tossing her purse on the kitchen counter, Sam smiles as she cradles her baby bump lovingly.)

"Well, hello there, McBaby. I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all afternoon. Did you hear Daddy today when he told us he loved us? Hopefully, your Daddy will be home soon, little one, and then he can tell you himself just how much he loves you. Your Aunt Caroline is late, McBaby. 'Course, your Aunt Caroline is usually late. Used to drive your grandparents totally nuts. I honestly don't know how your Uncle Danny manages to stay sane. Anyway, Aunt Caroline and Mommy are going out to dinner tonight. Is there anything in particular you'd like to have for dinner? No? Okay, then. You had your opportunity to voice your opinion. Don't start thrashing around and keep Mommy up all night if you don't like what I eat. Deal?"

(So intent has Sam been talking to the baby that she failed to hear Caroline come in the front door, and she nearly jumps out of her skin when she hears Caroline's voice _right behind her_.)

"What kind of nonsense are spouting off to my niece or nephew?"

"Oh, my God, Caroline, are you trying to scare this baby out of me?"

"What? You didn't hear me come in?"

"If I'd heard you come in, Sister dear, you wouldn't have scared me half to death now would you?"

"Wow, Sam, that was good. You almost sounded just like Danny just then."

"Have you heard from him?"

"Yeah. He called me right before I left the base and gave me the direct line to his hotel room. Said he was going to grab an early dinner and then head out to the prison. Gov. Jameson made a couple of phone calls and the Warden has given Danny unlimited access to Dimitri Kasavich."

"I just hope Danny can get something useful out of the man. Dimitri Kasavich is a cold-hearted, cruel, calculating man, Caroline. I seriously doubt that there's any part of his back heart that could possibly care about his brother."

"Let's just wait and see what happens, Sam. Danny said he'd call as soon as he leaves the prison. Now, where does McBaby want to go for dinner?"

"McBaby didn't say so I guess it's up to us. What do you say to Mexican?"

"Works for me. How about Pedro's?"

"Perfect. They have the best fried ice cream on the island and I'd like some smothered with guacamole and salsa."

(Caroline looks at Sam like she's grown another head followed by a look of utter horror and she shudders visibly much to Sam's great confusion.)

"What?"

" 'Fried ice cream smothered with guacamole and salsa'?"

"Yeah."

"God, you are totally mental!"

"What's wrong with fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa, Caroline?"

"It's disgusting, Sam, that's what!"

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why is fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa disgusting?"

"I cannot believe you asked me that!"

"What is your problem, Caroline?"

"You want to eat fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa!"

"Well, I'm the one who's going to be eating it. Why on Earth would that bother you?"

"Because I'll have to watch you!"

"You've seen me eat before."

"I've never seen you eat fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa before!"

"I'm starting to seriously worry about you, Caroline."

"_You're_ starting to worry about _me_? Girlfriend, you're talking about eating fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa!"

"Again, Caroline, why is that a problem for you?"

"Oh my God, Sam, because it's disgusting and I'm going to have to sit there and watch you eat it!"

"You know what? I'm going to call Mom. She's worrying about the wrong daughter!"

(And Sam snatches her cellular phone out of her purse and hits the speed dial for Libby while Caroline, who had actually started to, well, gag a little, tries to get a grip. Libby is in the kitchen cooking and Mike is sitting at the breakfast bar talking with her when the phone rings and Libby hits the speaker button so she can continue what she's doing while she talks on the phone.)

"Hello, dear."

"Hi, Mom. Listen, Caroline is behaving like a two year old and I need you to have a little talk with her, please." 

"Um, all right. Just what seems to be the problem, Sam?"

"Well, we were talking about where to go for dinner and I suggested Mexican and Caroline agreed. So then, we decided to go to Pedro's, and I happened to mention that they had great fried ice cream and I wanted some smothered in guacamole and salsa, and Caroline's, well, she's pitching a fit."

(Libby and Mike look at each other in mock horror; one, because Sam sounds exactly like she did when she and Caroline were about twelve and would have a fight, and, two, because the idea of fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa is just as repugnant to them as it is to Caroline. Mike is extremely glad Sam called Libby because he's trying not to laugh and not having much success. Libby has a "deer in the headlights" look on her face and he can see her mentally scrambling to handle this situation without making anyone mad. Before Libby can say a word, however, Caroline and Sam start bickering again.)

"Of course, I'm pitching a fit, Sam! You expect me to sit across a table from you and watch you eat fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa _without_ throwing up my dinner!"

"Why the Hell would you want to throw up your dinner?"

"I don't want to throw up my dinner, you idiot, but I will if I have to watch you eat that disgusting mess you want to eat!"

"You're gonna call me names, now?"

"Well, yeah, Sam. . If the shoe fits . . ."

"Fine, you dingbat, call your pregnant sister names in front of her unborn child!"

"That also happens to be my unborn niece or nephew, thank you very much, and I don't want the poor child poisoned because its mother is an idiot!"

"I cannot believe you just accused me of poisoning my child!"

"Damn it, Sam! I did not accuse you of trying to poison the baby!"

"Yes, you did, and Mom heard you!"

(Mike and Libby are desperately trying not to laugh out loud and Libby is also trying to get a word in edgewise between her two battling daughters.)

"Girls!"

"You are being totally unreasonable, Sam!"

"Me? You're the one who's being unreasonable, Caroline!"

"Girls!"

"Oh, _I'm_ being unreasonable because I don't want to have to sit across a table from you and watch you shovel a green and red mound of . . . God, I can't even stand to think about it!"

"Girls!"

(And Sam and Caroline, caught up in their verbal brawl, both yell a very loud, "WHAT!" in the direction of the phone. Of course, they both immediately realize what they've done and look at each other with pure fear on their faces. Kind of like, "Uh oh, we've done it now!" Realizing that there's dead silence on her daughter's end of the phone, Libby quickly takes control of the situation.)

"Why don't the two of you go to Pedro's and eat dinner, and, Sam, you can get your fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa to go. That way, Caroline won't have to watch you eat it and you'll both get what you want."

"That's . . . an excellent idea, Mom. Thanks for the help."

"Yeah, Mom, I like that idea a lot. So, ready to go, Sam?"

"Yep. Bye, Mom. We'll call when we get back home. Love you!"

(And Sam ends the call before Libby can say another word. Libby looks very confused because, after her suggestion, both Sam and Caroline sounded very calm and exactly like the mature, responsible young women they are. Mike, still snickering, just shakes his head and gives his wife a hug and kiss.)


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 19, 2011**

**A/N: A very big "kudos" to Kimber1461 for her amazing suggestion regarding Sam's cravings. This wonderful lady's idea was the basis for the last chapter. Please keep the suggestions coming, folks! Also, no one has figured out the conundrum, yet, so here's a clue: Check out Sam's conversation with Mike regarding lunch. Michelle**

(Libby is still a little confused ten minutes later, and Mike, who is _still_ snickering, decides that maybe she just needs to talk things out.)

"Come on, Libby; don't let the girls mess with your head like this."

"I'm simply trying to decide if Caroline's staying with Sam is a good idea or not. Gracious, you'd think those girls were all of ten instead of responsible naval Officers and married women!"

"I think Caroline's staying with Sam is the best thing for both of them right now, Libby. You know as well as I do that all those pregnancy hormones are messing with Sam and causing her mood swings and now, apparently, strange cravings, and Caroline knows it, too. I know you hate to see the girls arguing, but at least it seems to be keeping Sam's mind off of Steve for the time being. And, you've go to admit, (and Mike starts snickering again) they sounded just like Steve and Danny."

"They did, didn't they? (And now, Libby starts giggling.) Can you imagine what it would be like to watch all four of them in a free-for-all?"

"I'm pretty sure I'd laugh so hard I wouldn't be able to catch my breath and expire from sheer glee!"

"Probably so, dear, but at least you'd die happy!"

(And the Thrashers dissolve into full-blown, flat-out laughter. Meanwhile, Sam and Caroline have arrived at Pedro's, been seated, placed their orders and their server has just brought their drinks to the table.)

"What do you think Dimitri Kasavich might be able to tell Danny about his brother that would help, Sam?"

"I don't know. Alexei Kasavich has no criminal record or history of being involved in his brother's illegal businesses as far as we know, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been involved. Alexei may have been involved in Dimitri's arms business up to his eyeballs. Either way, Danny's going to have his work cut out for him."

"If Dimitri knows anything about his brother that can help Steve, Danny will get it out of him. . . Sam, Danny's just as worried about you and Steve as the rest of us are."

"I know that, Caroline, and Steve knows it, too. Of course, it would just about kill both of them to admit they might actually care about each other, but we're all family and family takes care of one another; no matter what. And I love you, Caroline, even though sometimes, like earlier tonight, we fight like cats and dogs, you're still my sister."

"I love you, too, Sam, and I hope we're still fighting like cats and dogs when we're a hundred and two."

"Me, too, 'cause if we're still _fighting_, then we'll still be able to, . . Well, you know."

"Oh, no you don't. Danny teased me unmercifully a while back about referring to what we're talking about as 'you know. Just say it, Sam."

(And both Sam and Caroline start giggling like two teenage girls. They're sitting in the middle of a restaurant full of people, giggling like they're fifteen, but they don't care; they're having fun.)

"Fine! Sex, Caroline, we're talking about sex, and if we live to be a hundred and two, I hope like Hell we're still capable of having sex!"

(Now their giggling has turned into full-blown laughter.)

" 'Course, Steve and Danny are going to have to be just as capable."

"Like _that's_ going to be a problem!"

"Yeah, you're right, Sam, those two won't ever be _in_capable!"

"Thank God!"

(Their server comes to the table and asks if they would like something else, and, when Sam says no and asks for the check, Caroline sends her a puzzled look.)

"I thought you were going to get some guacamole and salsa smothered fried ice cream to go?"

"Changed my mind, but I do want to stop at The Dessert Den and pick up some crème brulee. Oh, and we need to stop by the store and get some ketchup."

"Sam, what's the ketchup for?"

"The crème brulee, of course."

(Steve and his team are en route to Jalalabad and they are all quietly contemplating the mission ahead of them. While Adm. Harte and Mike have made suggestions, they've left the final decision about how the op will be run up to Steve. He and Senior Chief Newton are sitting slightly away from the rest of their team and are hunched over a couple of maps of Jalalabad and the surrounding area. They are discussing a couple of different options for completing their mission objectives and finally feel that they've cobbled together a workable plan of attack. Telling the Senior Chief to get some rest, Steve tries to get as comfortable as possible, closes his eyes, and tries to relax. He uses a technique he learned in BUD/S and clears his mind of everything until it is blank and forces his muscles to relax, as well. Within minutes, Steve's breathing has slowed and his mind begins to fill with images of Sam. In his mind's eye, he sees her looking so beautiful in her wedding dress coming down the aisle on her father's arm and her smile so full of love and promise. He sees her in her uniform standing proudly before a large assembly at the base with her right hand raised as she took the oath of office at her promotion ceremony. A smile curves his lips as he remembers the look on her face when he looked up from her gift to him on the night of his birthday. He sees her beautiful, emerald green eyes, filled with desire, looking up from beneath him as he makes love to her, and he sees the fierce pride in those same eyes as she stood with her shoulders squared, her head high, and a smile on her full lips as she stood on the flight line with the rest of the wives and their family and watched him walk up the ramp of a C-130. And then he remembers the sheer wonder and joy that flooded through him the first time he laid his hand on Sam's baby bump and felt their child move, and, right then and there, a sense of total calm settles over Steve. He and his team are going to Jalalabad, they're going to watch and wait until Alexei Kasavich and whoever is working with him arrive, and then the SEALs are going to execute their mission successfully. There's a drop-dead gorgeous, brilliant woman back in Hawaii who he loves more than his life, she's carrying his baby, and he's determined to get back home to her as quickly as possible.)


	25. Chapter 25

**+CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 20, 2011**

(Danny Williams paces in one of the private visitation rooms at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona as he waits for the guards to bring Dimitri Kasavich into the room. Danny has been thinking about the reason he's inside this grim, dirty place and he's starting to get angry. By the time two guards escort Kasavich into the room, Danny is royally pissed and all his anger is directed at the man wearing a bright, orange jumpsuit, handcuffs around his ankles and wrists, and a sneer on his face. Once the guards have secured the man to the iron attachments on the table, which is bolted to the floor, and moved back, Danny stands with his feet apart and his arms crossed over his chest and just stares at Kasavich for a few moments. The last time Danny saw the man was in a courtroom in Honolulu when the man was found guilty of a hundred and seven state and federal charges and sentenced to life without parole. Kasavich has been in a federal prison for many months, this one is certainly not a "country club", but one reserved for violent, high security prisoners and has a reputation for breaking even the strongest of men. Dimitri Kasavich, however, looks none the worse for his incarceration. In fact, the man has a smug expression on his face and looks like he doesn't have a care in the world. He has the nerve to smile at Danny, and Danny returns his smile; just before he and Dimitri start verbally sparring.)

"Det. Williams, what brings you all the way to Arizona?"

"I came to see you, Dimitri, I have some interesting news for you; family business."

"I am no longer in the 'family business', Detective. You and your friends have seen to that."

"You have a younger brother, Alexei. Seems he's decided to pick up where you left off, Dimitri."

"Has he now? And just what is it you would have me believe my brother has done?"

"You know exactly what Alexei's done, or should I say, threatening to do, Dimitri. You may be in a federal prison, but we both know that you hear things."

"Perhaps I do, Det. Williams, but, even if I did have an idea of what my younger brother is up to, what would I do with that information, hmm? I have not seen Alexei in years nor have I spoken with him. Why are you here? What do you want from me?"

"What I want is for you to help me save your brother's life, Dimitri. As we speak, there is a team of U.S. Navy SEALs en route to intercept Alexei and either capture or kill him. If you help me and I can get the information to the SEALs in time, it just might save your brother's life."

"My brother is a grown man, Detective. He is perfectly capable of making his own decisions. Who am I to interfere with the choices he makes?"

"Did you hear what I said? A team of SEALS knows where your brother is, they know what he's doing, and their orders are to stop him! If they can't take him into custody, they'll kill him!"

"Alexei is doing what he feels he must; just as you and Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett and the lovely Mrs. McGarrett did what you all felt you had to do when you set the trap for me. . . Wait. . . Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett is leading the SEAL team going after my brother. Yes. . That's why you're here. You are afraid for your friend, no? You are here to get information that will help keep Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett safe. . . I will not help you, Detective. I love my brother, but I would rather he die like a man, a martyr, than live the rest of his life as I do."

(And Dimitri Kasavich refuses to say another word no matter what Danny says to him. After thirty more minutes of having his questions go unanswered, Danny has had enough and calls the guards to take Kasavich back to his cell. Danny makes arrangements to see Dimitri Kasavich the following morning and heads back to his hotel. By the time he reaches his room, his is frustrated beyond words and is trying to think of exactly what he's going to say when he calls Caroline. He knows that she is staying with Sam while he's gone and he really wishes that he had more encouraging news. . .

Sam and Caroline, having stopped to get Sam's dessert and the grocery store to get her ketchup, are in the midst of a conversation about one of Caroline's high school boyfriends when they get back to the McGarrett's, and they are both laughing as they walk into the house. Sam locks the door and they head into the kitchen while Caroline calls their parents to let them know they're home. Once that's done, Sam decides to wait until later to have her dessert and they both head upstairs to change. Caroline is sleeping in the bedroom on the opposite side of Sam's and Steve's from the nursery and has just slipped on a gown and finished brushing her teeth when her cellular phone rings.)

"Hey, Romeo, what'd you find out?"

"Nothing. Dimitri Kasavich wouldn't tell me a thing. Said he'd rather his brother die like a man than spend the rest of his life in prison. I'm going back out to the prison in the morning and try again."

"Damn, I was hoping he'd give you something that would make Steve's job easier."

"Yeah, I know. How's Sam?"

"So far, so good. We had a really good evening, Danny."

"Good. . I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Romeo. Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you really think the chances are of you getting something useful out of Dimitri Kasavich?"

"Honestly? Probably not very good. He's already figured out that Steve's in command of the SEAL team going after his brother, and I'm pretty sure that's why he's refusing to give me anything."

"You mean, Kasavich would rather see his brother dead than try to help him?"

"I'm not so sure it's so much wanting to see his brother dead as it is that Dimitri wants to see Steve injured or dead."

"Oh my God, Danny, do you hear what you're saying?"

"Yeah. Listen, I need to talk to your dad. Don't say anything to Sam about this, okay? If she asks, just tell her I didn't get anything out of Dimitri and I'm going back out to the prison in the morning."

"Okay. . . I love you, Danny."

"Love you, too. Now, go take care of your sister."


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 20, 2011**

(After hanging up with his wife, Danny hits the speed dial for his father-in-law and lies down on top of the hotel room bed while he waits for him to answer. Danny's mind is working in overdrive and he's trying to figure out exactly what Alexei's agenda is, but nothing is standing out.)

"Danny? Did you get anything out of Dimitri?"

"Yeah. I think Steve's in trouble."

"What makes you say that, Son?"

"Dimitri Kasavich _knew_ Steve was in command of the SEAL team sent to get his brother. He also said he'd rather his brother die a martyr than spend the rest of his life in prison. I'm going back out to the prison in the morning and try talking to Dimitri again, but I doubt I'll get much more out of him."

"Listen, Danny, don't waste a lot of time on him in the morning. If you don't get anything else, get yourself on the first plane back here. If you're right, we have a bigger problem than we first thought. Have you told anyone else what you suspect?"

"Yeah, Caroline, but I told her not to say anything to Sam."

"Good."

"I'm going to check the visitors and phone logs at the prison in the morning and see if anyone's been to see or called Dimitri since he's been there. He said he hadn't seen or talked to Alexei in years, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a third party swapping messages between them."

"Agreed. How the Hell could Dimitri or Alexei Kasavich, or anyone else for that matter, possibly know that Steve would be called back to active duty and given command of the team sent in to get Alexei?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that myself, Mike. There's more to this threat that meets the eye."

"I think you're right, Son. I'm going to have a talk with Bill Harte first thing in the morning and see what he has to say about this. In the meantime, you be careful."

"Always, Mike."

(Mike is very troubled when he ends the call with Danny, and he stands on his back deck looking out into the night. He knows that Steve's team is on the ground at a U.S. base close to Jalalabad waiting for Alexei Kasavich to show up to collect the biological weapon, and he's worried. Glancing at his watch, he sees that it's 2145 hours, but he doesn't hesitate in the slightest. Pulling his cellular phone back out of his pocket, he hits a speed dial and waits patiently.)

"Lt. Montgomery."

"Good evening, Lieutenant. I'm sorry to call you at such a late hour, but I'm going to need you to meet me at the base ASAP. I've just received some new information regarding Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett's op that we need to deal with immediately."

"I'm on my way, Sir. I'll be there in twenty."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Just what's so important that you have to go running back to the base at this time of night, Mike?"

(But when Mike turns around and Libby sees the worry in his eyes. Mike Thrasher isn't the kind of man to worry needlessly, and it takes lot to make warning klaxons go off in his head. If Mike feels he needs to return to the base at this hour and needs Tony to meet him there, something is most definitely wrong. Libby also knows that her husband is in full military mode and won't give her any specific information because it's classified, but she asks anyway.)

"What is it, Mike, what's happened? Is it Steve?"

"Steve's fine as far as I know, Libby. I've just received some new information and I need to deal with it so I'm going to the base. I'm not sure when I'll be home."

"Do I need to go to Sam?"

"No. Sam doesn't need to know anything about this, Libby. Not yet, anyway."

"Mike. ."

"I'll call you as soon as I can, Libby. Try not to worry."

(Libby doesn't say another word. She simply hugs and kisses her husband and offers him a small smile following the code that the wives of SEALs live by every, single day; send your SEAL off with a smile, no matter what. .

Caroline, her pillow in her hand, walks into Sam's and Steve's bedroom to find Sam already in a night gown and walking out of the bathroom. Sam smiles when she sees the pillow in her sister's hand; when they were little girls and had spend the night parties, they would end up sitting on each other's beds watching horror movies on television and giggling long into the night; at least, until either Anne Murdock or Libby Thrasher put an end to the girls' fun.)

"So, you channel-surf for a horror movie and I'll get the popcorn?"

"Deal."

"Be right back."

(Caroline watches her sister walk out of the room and takes a moment to pull herself together. She's never kept anything from Sam before, not even when they were little, and she doesn't want to do so now. But Caroline knows that Sam would only be upset if she knew what Dimitri Kasavich told Danny, and the last thing Caroline wants to do is give her sister another reason to worry about Steve. By the time Sam comes back upstairs with a huge bowl of buttered popcorn and some napkins, Caroline has found a 1970's Christopher Lee Dracula movie that has both of them in stitches ten minutes into the movie. . .

(Steve is lying on a cot in the tent that was assigned to him upon reaching the U.S. base, and is staring up at the top of the tent. They've just returned from doing recon on the weapons laboratory, which is nothing more than an abandoned house at the edge of Jalalabad, and he's got a feeling. Something's off and he just can't quite put his finger on what that something is, and it's driving him nuts. Checking his watch, he realizes that it's 2230 hours in Hawaii and Mike is most likely asleep, but he needs to know if they've picked up anything new since last they talked. Getting up, Steve rapidly strides toward the communications tent. The young Sergeant on duty looks up in surprise as Steve steps into the tent.)

"Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, I was just going to send someone for you, Sir. Adm. Thrasher's on the line for you from Pearl."

"Put him through, Sergeant."

"Yes, Sir."

(And in moments, the video screen flickers and Mike, with Tony sitting across the conference table from him, appears on the screen. Steve's gut is beginning to churn and he knows he was right in his suspicions that he was missing something.)

"Admiral, you have some new information for me, Sir?"

"Indeed, I do, Commander. Dimitri Kasavich knew you were in command of the SEAL team sent after his brother."

"How the Hell did he know that, Sir?"

"That's what we're trying to find out now, Son. Until we do, I want you and your men to lay low."

"But, Sir, if Alexei Kasavich shows up to pick up the weapon. . . "

"Lt. Montgomery just checked in with the C.I.A., Alexei is still in Istanbul."

"For the time being, maybe, but he won't stay there much longer."

"Be that as it may, Commander, your orders are to go into a holding pattern and stay there until further notice. I want to know how Dimitri Kasavich knew you were going to be in command of the team coming after his brother before you go anywhere near that weapons lab. Are we clear?"

"Perfectly, Sir."

"Good. See to it that you're in the communications tent around 0930 hours my time tomorrow."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Walking back to his tent, a smile touches Steve's face as he realizes his father-in-law just told him he was going to be able to talk to his wife again. The smile, however, is quickly replaced by a frown as he tries to figure out just what the Hell is going on.)


	27. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 21, 2011**

(After completing the teleconference call with Steve, Mike Thrasher remains standing exactly where he stood during his conversation with Steve and stares at the blank screen in front of him. Tony, well aware of what the Admiral is thinking but hesitant to voice his opinion, doesn't move a muscle. Finally, Mike spins on his heel and, with a determined gleam in his eyes, issues the order Tony has been waiting for since Mike first briefed him on the situation.)

"Call Adm. Harte and tell him I need him here ASAP, Lieutenant, and tell him to be prepared for a long night. I'll be on the phone with Adm. Henderson, but, if Adm. Harte gives you a hard time, interrupt me."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Ten minutes later, Tony reports that Adm. Harte, although somewhat annoyed to have been awakened, is on his way to the base.)

"Good. Adm. Henderson is en route, as well. I want you to pull up the personnel files for everyone at Homeland Security who was involved in the op to apprehend Dimitri Kasavich, and I mean _everyone_, Lieutenant; including Adm. Harte. When you were assigned as my aide, your security clearance was upgraded so you should be able to get what I want. If you run into any roadblocks, let me know."

"Aye, aye, Sir. . . Admiral, may I ask a question?"

"By all means, Lieutenant, ask away."

"Sir, I get the impression you're thinking that the Kasavich brothers may have someone on the inside at Homeland; someone close to Adm. Harte who knew when he decided to put Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett in command of the team going after Alexei Kasavich and got a message to both him and Dimitri. Am I right?"

"You're dead on the money, Lieutenant. There's no other possible explanation as to how Dimitri Kasavich could have known otherwise. If I'm right, the entire mission is compromised and our men are walking straight into a trap."

(Neither Adm. Harte nor Adm. Henderson have any idea why they've been called back to the base, and they both look confused, and Adm. Harte looks rather annoyed half an hour later when they walk into the conference room and find Mike and Tony pouring over something on one of the computer screens. Adm. Henderson, knowing Mike very well and positive that whatever the reason for this sudden meeting is important, pours himself a cup of coffee and has a seat. Adm. Harte more or less "storms" into the room and raises his voice.)

"Why have you dragged us out here at this time of night, Mike? What's so damned important it couldn't wait until morning?"

"I have reason to believe that both Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich knew Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett was placed back on active duty and put in command of the SEAL team going after Alexei _before_ you called Gov. Jameson and told her your intentions, and, while I believe the threat of a biological attack on Honolulu is a very real possibility, I also believe that the threat was made as a means to an end."

"What kind of 'means to an end'?"

"I believe that Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich instigated this threat in an effort to kill Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, and I think they had help. I think someone at Homeland Security, someone close to you, Bill, is in bed with the Kasavich brothers."

"Do you realize what you're saying, Mike?"

"Yes. I'm saying that a high-level official with Homeland Security is a traitor to this country, and a conspirator in a murder plot."

"You can't be serious?"

"I'm very serious, Bill."

"Where did you get this ridiculous idea? What evidence do you have?"

"Det. Danny Williams of Hawaii Five-0 flew to Tucson, Arizona at 1400 hours today to interview Dimitri Kasavich at the United States Penitentiary in an effort to get any information he could that would help Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett's team apprehend Alexei Kasavich. During the initial interview, Dimitri told Det. Williams that he _knew_ Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett was in command of the SEAL team going after Alexei, and said he would rather his brother die a martyr than spend the rest of his life in prison."

"This is ridiculous! You're too close to this, Mike, because Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett is your son-in-law, and I'm going to call Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon and tell him so!"

"Go right ahead, Bill, he's expecting your call."

"You've already spoken with him; told him this ridiculous tale?"

"Yes."

(Sending a dark glare in Mike's direction, Bill Harte stalks out of the conference room to make his call in private. Adm. Allen Henderson, who has remained silent up until this point, looks thoughtfully over at Mike Thrasher.)

"You don't think Bill is the high-level official, do you, Mike?"

"I don't know what to think at this point, Allen. There's no other possible explanation. Lt. Montgomery's sifting through the service and personnel records of anyone at Homeland who was involved in the take down of Dimitri Kasavich as we speak."

"You know I trust you, Mike, but you'd better be damned sure about this. Bill Harte is a powerful man; he's got a lot of friends in high places. If you're wrong about this, it will be the end of your career."

"My son-in-law's life, and the lives of his men, are more important than my career, Allen."

"What did Rob Taunton say?"

"He was very interested in what I had to say. It seems that his office has had concerns about a security leak at Homeland Security for the past six months. Apparently, someone has been leaking information about ongoing security measures, particularly in New York, Washington, and Los Angeles, to suspected al Qaeda operatives. Up until now, the information that was leaked was very low-level, information that, if anyone wanted to put some effort into it, could be easily found, but the intel about Steve was known to only a very few people. Lt. Montgomery has already narrowed it down to five possible suspects, including Bill Harte, but he's reviewing all the other files in case there's more than one mole."

(Adm. Bill Harte comes back into the room, his face as dark as a thundercloud, and sits back down glaring at Mike and Allen Henderson the entire time. His voice is full of venom.)

"Adm. Taunton has turned full control of this op over to you, Mike, and he has ordered me to cooperate with you fully. I hope to Hell you know what you're doing because you may have a lot to answer for when this is over!"


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 21, 2011**

(Caroline awakens to discover that the movie she and Sam were watching is long over, an infomercial for skin care products is now on the flat screen television in the McGarrett's bedroom, and Sam is lying on her side fast asleep. Moving the nearly empty bowl of popcorn from the center of the bed and placing it on the bedside table closes to her, Caroline looks down at her sister and smiles fondly. One of Sam's hands is lying on her pillow beside her face, which is relaxed in sleep with a hint of a smile, and the other is lying protectively on her baby bump. Grabbing her cellular phone, Caroline snaps a quick picture of her sleeping sister because, well, Sam just looks so adorable and Caroline is thinking this will be a good picture to show her niece or nephew one day. Setting her phone back on the bedside table, Caroline looks over at Sam again and, seeing her wedding and engagement rings on the hand lying on top of her baby bump, fervently hopes that her brother-in-law will soon be home safe and sound. Thoughts of her conversation with Danny float back into her mind and she's worried that Steve and his men could be in serious trouble. Not wanting to disturb Sam, Caroline carefully eases off the bed, grabs a blanket from the linen closet and places it over Sam's sleeping form, picks up the bowl of popcorn, turns off the television, and heads back to the bedroom she's sleeping in while staying with her sister. It is a long time, however, before Caroline drifts off to sleep as she replays every word of her conversation with her husband and tries to figure out what it is she's missing. . .

Tony Montgomery has been sorting through service and personnel records for quite some time and his eyes are beginning to cross. Pushing his chair back from his desk, he stands up to stretch and get more coffee. Tony's been working in his office since before Admirals Harte and Henderson arrived, and the three Admirals have been in the conference room with the door closed for quite some time. So far, other than the five people who knew that Steve was being recalled, no one else has jumped out at him. Tony's cellular phone rings and he is somewhat surprised because, according to the clock on his desk, it's 0117 hours. Kono's name flashing up on the caller I.D. brings a smile to his face as he realizes she's probably up with their son.)

"Hey, babe, our little guy wake up?"

"Yep. He has an appetite like his father; ravenous. What are you doing, or can you tell me?"

"Getting up to get another cup of coffee and that's all I can tell you."

"Tony, is Steve okay?" 

"Yeah, K, Steve's fine."

"Look, I know you can't give me any specifics, but is he in trouble?"

"Steve's fine, Kono, I promise. Adm. Thrasher got some new information pertinent to Steve's op and we need to make sure we verify it before we pass it on to Steve."

" 'Kay. Any idea when you'll be home?"

"Don't think I'm going to get home any time soon. It's going to take us a while to confirm everything."

"Okay. At least you're only twenty minutes away instead of halfway around the world."

"You can thank Steve and Adm. Thrasher for that, K. It was Steve's idea for Adm. Thrasher to ask for me on this op, and I'm pretty sure the Admiral didn't ask; he just told Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon I was going to be his aide."

"Uh oh, your son just pooped in his pants and I need to go change him."

"Give the little guy a kiss for me. I'll take care of your kiss when I get home. Love you, K."

"Love you, too, Tony. And, Tony? Please call me if . . . Just call me so I can get to Sam, okay?"

"Steve's fine and he's going to stay that way, K."

(The object of Kono's concern is, at that moment, sitting in his tent deep in a conversation with Senior Chief Tim Newton. Steve has relayed the information Mike gave him during their last teleconference call and the Senior Chief has a frown on his face.)

"This isn't good, Sir, not good at all. Does Adm. Thrasher have any idea where Dimitri Kasavich could have gotten his information?"

"No, but you can bet your six it had to have come from someone at Homeland Security; someone close to Adm. Harte."

"You don't think it could be the Admiral himself, do you, Sir?"

"The thought's crossed my mind, Senior. Adm. Harte has many years of loyal service to the United States Navy and his service record is excellent, but we both know that money talks and the Kasavich family has a lot of it to throw around."

"I agree, Commander, although I'd hate to think that someone of Adm. Harte's stature could be bought by the likes of the Kasavich brothers. Are you going to tell the rest of the men?"

"No, and I don't want you, too, either. Until we have confirmation on this, I want them to continue to think we're in a holding pattern; and we _are_ in a holding pattern until my father-in-law and Lt. Montgomery can figure this out. Keep your eyes and ears open, Senior. We both know that waiting is sometimes a necessary thing, but we also know that the men tend to get 'antsy' if they have to wait around too long."

"Yes, Sir. I was just thinking, Commander, how about the kids and I run a little E and E with these Army boys? It'll keep all of them on their toes and they won't have time to think about waiting around."

"Good idea; just don't stray too far from home. We may get orders to execute our op at any time."

"Aye, aye, Sir."


	29. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 21, 2011**

**A/N: "OUTCONUS" is an acronym used by the U.S. Navy. It means, "outside the continental United States". Michelle **

(Tony is just coming out of the head when Mike steps out of the conference room and spies him. The frown on Mike's face is replaced by an indulgent smile when he meets the younger man in the hallway.)

"Share, Lieutenant."

"Sir?"

"What put that smile on your face, Son?"

"My wife called a few minutes ago, Sir. She was up with the baby and just wanted to check in with me."

"I am sorry I had to drag you away from your family tonight, Lieutenant. How is your boy?"

"Growing like a weed, Sir. Kono says it's because he has my appetite; my son does love to eat. Seems like we do nothing but feed, burp, and change his diaper."

"Enjoy it while you can, Son. All too soon he's going to grow up and then you'll wonder why you ever thought getting up at all hours of the night with him was such a bad thing."

"I don't ever mind getting up with Eric, Sir. I'm constantly amazed that I had a part in creating him, and I take every opportunity I can to spend time with him."

"Good for you, Lieutenant, and make sure that you always make time for him. . . Found anything yet?"

"No, Sir. Other than the five people who knew about Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett being put in command of the team, no one else has any obvious flags that are popping up. Does Adm. Harte have any idea as to who might be the mole?"

"Adm. Harte still doesn't believe there _is_ a mole."

"Does he have another explanation as to how Dimitri Kasavich would have known about Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, Sir?"

"No, and between you and me, that concerns me. He's adamant that no one in his office could possibly be in collusion with terrorists. . . I just spoke with Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon. He's going to have his aide, Cmdr. Porter, call you in about thirty minutes and I want you to have the files of the five people on our suspect list at hand when he does. Cmdr. Porter is pulling financial and cellular phone records on each of those people as well as looking into whether or not any of them were OUTCONUS at any time in the past six months. Let me know if you two find anything. Oh, and Lieutenant? Under no circumstances are you to report this information to anyone but me, and do not share it with anyone else, either."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Sam awakens the next morning to find sunlight streaming through her bedroom window and rolls over to look at the clock as she registers the mouth-watering aroma of coffee in the air. Surprised that it's 0815 hours, Sam gets out of bed, slips on a robe, and heads downstairs to find her sister already dressed and in the kitchen getting bacon and eggs out of the refrigerator.)

"Morning, Sleepy Head."

"Morning. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"It's Saturday, Sam; you're off duty today. Thought I'd let you sleep in."

"Sleep in is right. I haven't slept this late since, . . Well, I can't remember the last time I slept this late."

"Quit worrying about it and set the table."

"Aye, aye, Lieutenant. So, what are we doing after breakfast?"

"IDK. What do you want to do?"

"IDK. Let's see how we feel after breakfast."

"Deal."

(Sam's cellular phone rings about that time and she sees her father's number pop up.)

"Hey, Dad."

"Good morning, Sweetheart. What are you and Caroline up to today?"

"Actually, I just got up and Caroline's cooking breakfast."

"Can you be at the base at 0930?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"I have a teleconference call scheduled with your husband. Thought you might like to talk with him."

"You know I want to talk with Steve, Dad, but I'm not sure I can."

"Excuse me?"

"Are the other wives being invited to participate in this teleconference call?"

"I really hadn't thought about it, Sam."

"Well, if the other wives aren't invited, I can't come, either."

(There is dead silence on the other end of the phone and Sam realizes that she has accomplished an almost impossible feat; she has caught her father completely off-guard.)

"Dad, it isn't fair to the other wives if I take advantage of the fact that you're my father to talk with my husband and they can't talk to theirs. As much as I'd love to talk to and see Steve this morning, I can't do it if the other wives aren't included in the invitation. . . Dad? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, Sam, I'm here. . . Call those ladies and invite them to participate in the teleconference, Sweetheart, and thank you for reminding me I need to be more considerate of the men under my command and their families. You're a good kid, Sam, and one Hell of a C.O.'s wife, and I love you very much. Tell Caroline I love her, as well, and I'll see both of you shortly."

"Thanks, Dad. Love you, too."

(Sam, having one of life's heart-warming moments, ends the call and a smile graces her beautiful face when she turns toward her sister.)

"Dad just solved the problem of what we're going to do this morning. He's got a teleconference call set up with Steve for 0930 so we're going out to the base. Listen, Caroline, I need to call the other wives, so would you mind taking care of setting the table?"

"Not a problem. Go, do what you need to do."

"Thanks! Dad said tell you he loves you."


	30. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 21, 2011**

(At 0915 hours, Sam, Caroline, Melanie Michaels, Tricia Sanchez, Casey Landry, Beth Newton, Shannon Brandt, and Kelly James walk into the SEALs' building and Tony is there to show them to the large conference room. Sam and Caroline, probably because they know him so well, can tell that Tony looks tired and Sam raises an eyebrow in his direction as she walks past him. Mike and Adm. Henderson are already in the conference room and greet the ladies warmly. Adm. Harte is nowhere to be seen and Sam and Caroline also find this rather odd. Nevertheless, they turn their attention to the large screen in the room and wait patiently, chatting among themselves, until the teleconference actually begins. Someone, most likely Tony, has already given the people at the other end a "heads up" because not only does Steve appear on the screen, but the men on his team as well. Mike explains that the couples will have a couple of minutes to talk with one another before he discusses the op with Steve and his men, and the call proceeds. Sam, well aware of the fact that her father needs to discuss the op with Steve and that the ladies must be out of the conference room before that can happen, contents herself with just soaking up the sight of her husband, looking extremely hot with a couple of days' worth of beard on his already handsome face, and keeps her exchange with Steve to a minimum so the other ladies can have more time with their husbands. She knows, just by looking at his eyes, that he understands exactly what she's doing, and that they will have an opportunity to talk later. Sam and Caroline usher the other ladies out of the conference room and they walk outside the building with them to the parking lot. Beth, Shannon, and Kelly are old hands at this type of thing and more or less take it in stride. Melanie, Tricia, and Casey, however, are a little teary-eyed and Sam is struck with inspiration.)

"What are you ladies doing this evening? Any of you have plans?"

(The six women indicate they, in fact, don't have any plans for the evening.)

"Okay, then. My sister is staying with me for a few days while her husband is out of town, and we did something last night we haven't done for years; we watched an old horror movie and ate popcorn until we were stuffed. Why don't you guys come over to the house tonight and we'll do dinner and a movie, and bring your children; we'll watch something that's kid-friendly."

"That's awfully sweet of you, Sam; especially since you just had us all over for dinner a couple of nights ago. Tell you what, we'll all bring dinner and you pick out the movie."

"Dinner's not a problem, Beth, really. Caroline and I can throw something together."

"No, Beth's right, Sam; you had all of us over for dinner just the other night. The six of us will each bring something for dinner; that way, you won't have to cook or clean up."

"Far be it from me to argue with you, Kelly. What are we having?"

(And for the next several minutes, the eight women discuss what the menu will be, who's bringing what, and what time they're all meeting at the McGarrett's. By the time the three newest members of 'the club' have driven out of the parking lot, they've completely forgotten about their sadness at their husband's absence and are concentrating on taking care of their contribution to the evening's meal. Sam, Caroline, Beth Newton, Shannon Brandt, and Kelly James exchange knowing looks as they watch the "new girls" drive away.)

"That went very well, ladies. Good job."

"Your idea about a pot luck supper was amazing, Beth."

"No problem, Sam. You got the ball rolling with the invitation."

"Hey, do we actually know how many kids are coming and what ages they are?"

"Good question, Kelly. Let's see, Tricia has a two year old, Melanie doesn't have any, yet, and Casey's little girl is . . . Four, I think."

"Okay, Beth's kids are teenagers and, while they may come for dinner, I doubt they'll want to stay and watch a kids' movie, although they're certainly welcome to if they want."

"You'd be surprised, Sam. When Tim's away the kids stay pretty close to home even if they are thirteen and sixteen. So, we have a two year old, a four year old, Shannon, your son's six?"

"Five."

"Okay, let's start over. We have a two, a four, and a five year old, plus two teenagers. Wow, this could get interesting."

"You don't know how interesting Beth, I'm about to throw my nine year old daughter in the works. I think it would do her Aunt Sam good to see Gracie."

"I didn't know you had a nine year old, Caroline."

"She's actually Caroline's step-daughter, but the word 'step' isn't in Gracie's vocabulary. As far as she's concerned, she has two mothers, and she calls Caroline 'Mom'."

"It's great that she feels that way, but what does her mother think about the fact that she calls you 'Mom'?"

"Rachel's perfectly fine with it, and, believe it or not, Rachel and I have a really good relationship. In fact, Danny and I and Rachel and her husband, Stan, actually have dinner together from time to time."

"Now that really is amazing. My sister and her ex can't stand the sight of each other and, since they live in the same small town, they see each other nearly every day. My mother has threatened both of them with 'death by Tim' if they don't behave on a number of occasions."

" 'Death by Tim', Beth?"

"Yeah, you know, because he's a big, bad Navy SEAL. Of course, Tim cringes every time he finds out she does it, but he's not about to say anything to her about it."

"Well, if it bothers him so much, why doesn't he ask her to stop?"

"Because, Caroline, big, bad Navy SEAL Tim Newton is scared to death of my mother!"

(All the girls laugh at Beth Newton's statement and Beth, Shannon, and Kelly say their goodbyes and they, too, head off. Caroline starts walking back toward her car, but Sam heads back toward the building.)

"Where are you going, Sam?"

"To have a little talk with Dad. Something's going on that he hasn't told me about, Caroline, and I'm damned well going to find out what." 


	31. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 21, 2011**

(Sending a glance upward as if asking for divine intervention, Caroline sighs heavily and follows Sam back into the building. They round a corner and see their father and Adm. Henderson standing in the hallway looking over a file. Both men see the determined gleam in Sam's eyes as she strides toward them and both of them brace themselves for the confrontation they know is coming. When Sam reaches the spot where they're standing, she stops in front of them, crosses her arms, and looks accusingly from one man to the other.)

"Hey, Sweetheart, thought you and your sister left with the other ladies."

"Don't you dare 'Sweetheart' me, Dad. I want to know what it is you're not telling me."

(The two older men look at one another and, finally, Mike sighs heavily and turns toward the conference room indicating Sam should go inside. Caroline, knowing full well that she has no where near the security clearance necessary to be in on this briefing, strolls down to Tony's office while she waits. Once they are all seated at the conference table, Mike proceeds to tell Sam everything, including the fact that Adm. Harte is one of only five people who could have given the information about Steve to Dimitri and or Alexei Kasavich. When he is through, Sam very calmly looks straight at her father and speaks in a clear, strong voice.)

"Why didn't you tell me about this yesterday, Dad?"

"I didn't want to upset you, Sweetheart."

"Dad, I know you meant well, but _not_ telling me about this as soon as you knew has upset me more than you'll ever know. We all know that, as second in command of this base, my security clearance is just as high as yours, so that's not an issue. I can live with the truth; what I can't live with is being kept in the dark."

"Sam, Honey, I really am sorry, but, well I didn't want to do anything that that would put you or the baby at risk."

"Then keep me in the loop, dad! It's what I _don't_ know that stresses me out. Besides, did it occur to you that _I_ have a fairly extensive knowledge of Dimitri Kasavich? When Adm. Harte handpicked me for the op that brought me to Hawaii in the first place, I studied every bit of intelligence ever gathered on Dimitri Kasavich and his family. Hell, Dad, I've forgotten more about Kasavich than Steve ever knew! You've got one of the best sources of information regarding the Kasavich family right here in front of you, and you've completely ignored me!"

(As Sam's words sink in and both Mike and Adm. Henderson realize that she's right, both men begin to look uncomfortable, and Mike realizes that, in trying to protect his daughter, he just may have put his son-in-law at greater risk.)

"You're absolutely right, Sam, and I apologize."

"I don't want your apology, Dad, I know you we're just trying to protect me, and I know it was because you love me. What I want is for you to let me help you; let me help my husband."

"All right, Sam, but if your mother throws me out of the house, I'm moving in with you and Steve."

(And Mike succeeds in getting a smile out of his daughter. If fact, Sam giggles.)

"One, Mom's not going to throw you out of the house; Mom will _never_ throw you out of the house, and, two, you know you're always welcome at our house for however long you want to stay."

"I know, Sweetheart. Now, go tell your sister you're staying and we'll get down to work."

"I love you, Dad, more than you know."

(Caroline finds Tony sitting at his desk and staring at this computer monitor when she walks in his office. The poor guy looks like he's been up all night and it suddenly occurs to Caroline that he probably has. Tony turns toward Caroline with a smile as she enters his office.)

"Hey, Caroline. You come with Sam for the teleconference call?"

"Yep, and now Sam's giving Dad Hell because she knows he's been keeping something from her."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah, and since my security clearance isn't high enough, you're stuck with me until they're through. . . Have you been here all night?"

"Pretty much. Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm just. . . I'm worried about Sam, I'm worried about Steve, and I'm just. . Pissed."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. Okay, so other than being upset with your dad, how's Sam?"

"Sam's fine. In fact, she's probably the calmest person I know at the moment. You know, after the teleconference call, the three new kids were standing out in parking lot crying, again, and Sam was totally awesome. She invited the wives and children over for dinner and a movie tonight, and then Beth Newton said the six of them would bring dinner, you know, like pot luck, because Sam had everyone over a couple of nights ago, and, just like that, the newbies were so caught up in what they were going to cook

and what they needed to get to cook with, that they were over their little crying spell. I am _so_ glad Danny's not a SEAL! Not that there's anything wrong with SEALs, you guys are awesome, but I'd never make it as the wife of a SEAL; they're pretty awesome, too."

"Yeah, they are. Most women aren't cut out to be the wife of a SEAL and put up with everything that goes with it, but, you know what? I think you could handle it, Caroline."

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence, Tony, but, since Danny's not a SEAL, I won't ever have to find out if I could hack it or not."

"Danny may not be a SEAL, but he is a police detective, Caroline. He works for the Governor's task force and international bad guys are part of his job, too."

"I know that, but at least I know he'll be home most nights."

"True."

(Sam sticks her head in the door and, after saying hello to Tony, explains to Caroline that she can be on her merry way as Sam is staying to help out with the op.)


	32. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 22, 2011**

(Sam turns to head out the door of Tony's office and Caroline looks at her sister's back and the at Tony with a frown on her face before yelling a very loud, "Hey!", at Sam's retreating form. But Sam, an impish grin on her face, turns back around with her cellular phone to her ear and holding up her index finger to Caroline in a "hold on a second" gesture.)

"Hey, Kono. Listen, I need you to do me a favor, please. . . . Well, I'm at the base; I'm helping Dad and Tony with Steve's op. . . Can't tell you. Anyway, the girls are all coming over to our house tonight around 1800 hours for a pot luck dinner and a movie and they're bringing their kids. I'm going to do my best to be there, on time, but, you know how these things go. Caroline's staying at the house while Danny's out of town and she's got the rest of the day free. The house is reasonably clean and there's really nothing to do because the girls are bringing dinner. I was wondering if you and Eric would hang out at the house tonight, even if I do make it, because, you know, I an always use some back up. . . He's right here. Hang on."

(And Sam hands her cellular phone to Tony while Caroline stares at her with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.)

"I am so not going to entertain those women and their children all by myself, Samantha McGarrett! If Kono can't come, you'd better get your six home by 1730; got it?" 

"Kono said she and Eric would be there Caroline, and I'm going to call Mom, as well. Between the two of them, they can handle any meltdowns that occur. In fact, all you and Gracie are going to have to do is eat, watch the movie, and run some smack, and _you_ have no problem doing any of those things."

"Sam." 

"Please, Caroline. You know I wouldn't ask this of you if I could help it, but it's important that I stay here and help Dad; _help Steve_."

"Fine, but you owe me, Girlfriend, big time."

"I absolutely owe you. Thank you, this means a lot to me."

"Yeah, yeah. Go save tall, dark, and extremely sexy."

(Tony, having told Kono he's going to be at the base indefinitely, hands Sam's cellular phone back to her and she's out the door like a flash. Caroline, looking a little disgruntled, finally sends him an impish grin.)

"Well, looks like your wife and I, and, hopefully, my mother, are entertaining the girls tonight. Any suggestions?"

"Just follow K's and Libby's lead and you'll be fine. Besides, if Gracie's going to be there, she'll take care of everything. Those ladies will be eating out of her hand inside of ten minutes."

"There is that. . . Tony, I'm counting on you to keep an eye on Sam. I may not know exactly what's going on with this op, but I know that she's worried about Steve. If you think she's out of control, call me."

"Not to worry, Caroline, Sam's going to be fine. She's the calmest person I know in stressful situations. You were unconscious and I was floating in an out when you guys had to eject behind enemy lines, but, from what I remember and what the guys told me, Sam was in complete control; of herself and the situation."

"Yeah, well, her husband wasn't in the thick of things and she wasn't pregnant then. You know as well as I do that, if anything happens to Sam or that baby, Steve will kill us."

"I'll keep an eye on her, Caroline, but, trust me, she's going to be okay. In fact, this just may be the best thing for her."

"Tell our mother that!"

"Um, no, think I'm going to leave that one to you."

"Chicken!"

"Absolutely!"

(Sam is sitting in the conference room looking over the files of the five people suspected to be the mole, but, just as Tony before her, she can't find anything that seems to be "odd". Adm. Taunton's aide, Cmdr. Porter, is supposed to call with a progress report no later than 1100 hours and it's 1040 hours now. Hopefully, he was able to come up with something from the financial and travel records. In the mean time, Mike checks in with the C.I.A. and learns that, while Alexei Kasavich is still in Istanbul, an asset has picked up some chatter indicating he will only be there another twenty-four hours, if that long. When Sam finishes reviewing the files, she looks up at her father who is talking with Adm. Henderson.)

"Dad, where's Adm. Harte?"

"I sent him back to the BOQ, Sam, right after I relieved him of duty pending the outcome of our investigation into a leak at Homeland Security."

"How do you know he went back to the BOQ? How do you know he's still there?"

"Because, Cmdr. McGarrett, after your father relieved him of duty, I assigned two Marines to keep an eye on him. He's still there, and we'll know if he sets one foot out the door."

"Bet that went over well."

"Doesn't matter if he likes it or not; Bill Harte is a suspect in this investigation."

(Tony walks quickly into the room and lets them know that Cmdr. Porter is waiting to teleconference and that he's already sending copies of the information he's uncovered so they'll be able to look at the documents on one screen and Cmdr. Porter on the other. As soon as the link is established and Mike introduces Sam, the Commander begins his report.)

"We've done extensive research into the financial and travel records of the five individuals you identified over the last several hours, and we've found some very interesting things. First, Capt. Ted Sims, Adm. Harte's aide at Homeland, had two fairly sizable deposits in his personal checking account; one six weeks ago in the amount of fifty thousand dollars, and another three weeks ago in the amount of seventy-five thousand dollars. Both deposits were from a company called Secure Corp., a private security firm based in Munich. Three days ago, Capt. Sims withdrew all one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars from his account and disappeared. We have people looking for him now. There are, nor have there been, any travel or hotel reservations in his name in over a year. The second interesting thing we found is in regard to Adm. Harte. He took thirty days' personal leave six weeks ago and, according to the information we have, traveled to Paris, Munich, and . . Istanbul."

"I assume that you've notified all agencies, our and those of our allies, to be on the lookout for Capt. Sims."

"Yes, Sir, but a search of his residence found evidence that he may have assumed a disguise and is traveling with falsified documents."

"I think that's a given, Commander."

"Yes, Sir. Adm. Thrasher, Adm. Taunton would like you to confine Adm. Harte to quarters, and is sending two agents from NCIS to Pearl to question Adm. Harte."

"I've already confined Adm. Harte to quarters, Cmdr. Porter, and Adm. Taunton can send all the NCIS agents out here he wants to; Hawaii Five-0 gets the first crack at Adm. Harte, and you may tell him I said so. Did you turn up anything else, Commander?"

"No, Sir. Just the information on Capt. Sims and Adm. Harte."

"Cmdr. Porter, were you able to locate any information on Secure Corp."

"We're trying, Cmdr. McGarrett, but they are apparently owned by a subsidiary of a subsidiary, etc. and it's taking some time to work through all the red tape."

"Well, then, let's cut to the chase, Commander, check into ADK Imports, a company based in Sydney. I believe you'll find exactly what you're looking for."

"ADK Imports?"

"Yeah, Dad, the owners are Alexei and Dimitri Kasavich; ADK."

"If there's nothing else, Admiral, I'll get right on ADK Imports."

"Very good, Commander. Thank you."

(The screen goes blank and Sam, Tony, Mike, and Adm. Henderson all sit in the conference room in mild states of shock. They have just learned that Adm. Harte's aide received a large sum of money from a company that is ultimately owned by the Kasavich brothers, and that Adm. Harte, himself, was in Istanbul, where Alexei Kasavich is currently located, six weeks ago. Things are looking very bad for Bill Harte and even worse for Ted. Sims. Tony finally voices the thought that's running through everyone's mind.)

"I don't believe there can be any doubt about it now, Admiral. The Kasavich brothers planned this whole thing to lure Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett into a trap. The fact that they'll also be able to launch a biological attack on Honolulu is a bonus."

"It's not a bonus, Lieutenant; it's part of the plan. If they're successful, not only will they kill Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett and his men, but they'll kill his wife, child, friends . . . Everyone he cares about, as well." 


	33. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 22, 2011**

(Adm. Henderson's chilling words send a shiver down Sam's spine, but she remains perfectly calm. Her voice is clear and strong and there is no hesitation when she speaks.)

"The Kasavich brothers have come up with an almost perfect plan for achieving everything they want. They go to al Qaeda and ask them to manufacture a biological weapon that can be used against the United States and they pay them what will probably turn out to an enormous sum of money for said weapon, and, because they are going to use this weapon against the United States, they've just become al Qaeda's best friends. They have a mole in a high-level position in Homeland Security who's feeding them information on a steady basis and they wanted Steve to be in command of the SEAL team who went in after Alexei Kasavich. So they probably had their mole, Capt. Sims, who just happens to be the personal aide to the highest ranking Navy Officer at Homeland Security, make certain that Steve was recalled back to active duty and put in command of the SEAL team going after Alexei; most likely by offering 'helpful suggestions' to Adm. Harte the second he was notified about the threat. If they launch a successful biological attack against the U.S., they'll be the heroes of every extremist organization on the planet, and they'll be able to take over illegal arms sales all over the world; they'll have a monopoly and anyone who tries to move in on them will be eliminated. And, this is also personal for Dimitri. He kills Steve and everyone Steve cares about, so, if Dimitri can't have exactly what he wants, he gets the next best thing."

"I'm sorry, Commander, I'm not sure what you're getting at; what exactly is it Dimitri Kasavich wants? Why does he hate Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett?"

"Because Steve has something Dimitri desperately wanted."

"And that would be?"

(Sam, Tony, and Mike all exchange meaningful looks and the two Officers know exactly what Sam is talking about. It is Mike who looks directly at Adm. Henderson and answers his question.)

"My daughter."

"Adm. Henderson, I was hand-picked by Adm. Harte for the initial op to take down Dimitri Kasavich because Dimitri has a fondness for tall, green-eyed, blondes; and for me in particular. Three years ago, I was attached to the U.S. Embassy in London for a two month assignment. I trained the staff on updated security protocols in the event of an attack on the Embassy. I met Dimitri Kasavich at a reception hosted by the Ambassador and his wife, and Dimitri apparently fell head over heels for me. I was well aware of who he was having been briefed by the C.I.A., and was asked to, well, give him the impression that I might be interested in a personal relationship with him in the hope I would be able to pick up on something he said or, perhaps, overhear a conversation or telephone call so we would have enough evidence to apprehend him. However, Dimitri was called away on a 'family emergency' before we had a chance to do talk for more than fifteen minutes. As it turned out, his father had been assassinated by a rival group of arms dealers and Dimitri had just become the head of the Kasavich family. He well knew who I was when I took the place of the currier delivering the money to him in Tokyo; we wanted him to think I was having second thoughts about being a loyal American and it worked because we finally apprehended him when I contacted him and told him I was ready to join him in the illegal arms business. Of course, after Dimitri was in custody, he realized that I had been playing him the whole time. We all thought that, with him in prison serving a life sentence, he couldn't hurt anyone again. Apparently, we were wrong. He wants to kill Steve because Steve has me, and he wants to kill me because I betrayed him."

(Adm. Henderson has a totally stunned look on his face, but Tony asks a question.)

"You said the Kasavich brothers had come up with an _almost_ perfect plan, Commander."

(Sam smiles smugly at the three other occupants of the room, leans back in the chair she's sitting in, and a confident gleam enters her eyes.)

"Yes, but it's not perfect because they have made a serious mistake. We're a family, and family loves and takes care of one another. They aren't going to get away with this, gentlemen, because they have messed with the wrong people this time. Nobody screws around with our ohana and gets away with it; not even the Kasavich brothers, and I can promise you that Steve McGarrett isn't about to back down from this, and neither am I. I think it's time we brought Steve up to speed on what we've just learned and put together a game plan. Anyone know when Danny will be back from Tucson?"

"As a matter of fact, I spoke with Danny a little while ago. He went back to the prison early this morning, but Dimitri refused to see him. He also checked the phone and visitors logs. The only person who has either been to see Dimitri or spoken with him on the phone is his lawyer, and we've already initiated background and financial checks on him. Danny's coming back on a military jet and should be touching down on our airfield in about twenty minutes."

"Good. I think our first order of business is to make sure that our SEALs secure the biological agent _before _Alexei gets there to pick it up. That way, Alexei will be the one walking to a trap; and, when he does arrive, our guys either apprehend or eliminate him. Once Kasavich is taken care of, the lab needs to be destroyed."

(Sam suddenly realizes that she's more or less taken over and done so with two Admirals in the room; even if one of them is her father. Looking a little sheepish, she offers and apology.)

"I beg your pardon, Dad, Adm. Henderson; I certainly didn't mean to overstep my bounds, but . . I've gotten past my fear, and now I'm good and pissed off and I'm more than ready for this to be over!"

(And Mike Thrasher can't help but smile because, while the situation is very serious and they don't yet know how they're going to deal with it, if there's one thing he's sure of it's that Sam has never uttered truer words than she just did. Truth be told, he's in complete agreement with her.)

"Quite all right, Sam. I think you've got a very good grasp on the situation, and I'm sure we'll have no trouble putting a new op plan together once we talk to Steve. Lt. Montgomery, see what you can do about getting us a satellite link to Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett set-up for 1330 hours. As soon as you take care of that, we'll all head over to the flight line, pick up Danny, and then have some lunch at the O Club. We all have to eat and it will give us the opportunity to get Danny read in; besides, you mother would never forgive me if I didn't make sure that baby got fed."

(Tony completes his task quickly and, satisfied that they have the beginnings of workable game plan on the table, the four Officers head over to the flight line.)


	34. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 23, 2011**

(As she was leaving the base, Caroline placed a call to Rachel and asked her if Gracie could spend the night with her at Sam's and Rachel agreed, so Caroline is just now pulling into the drive at Rachel's house. Gracie, bless her sweet, little heart, comes running out of the house to give Caroline a great, big hug as soon as she reaches her, and Rachel, an indulgent smile on her face, follows at a slower pace carrying Grace's overnight bag.)

"Hello, Caroline."

"Hey, Rachel. Has our girl been behaving?"

"Yes, she has. Although, when I told her you were coming to get her and she was spending the night at her Aunt Sam's, I did have to remind her she needed to finish cleaning her room before she left. She had it done in record time."

"That's our Grace. Listen, Rachel, Sam and I both really appreciate this; Sam needs a . . Distraction right now."

"How is Sam?"

"She's okay, but, you know, it's hard on her with Steve being deployed."

"I'm sure it is; I can't begin to imagine what that must be like. Although, with Stan gone so much of the time, you would think I'd know. Then again, when Stan goes out of town, he isn't going to be in a . . . Well, you know."

"True. Mom's coming over, too, so she might want Grace to spend some time with her tomorrow if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay. I'm very grateful to both your parents for spending time with Grace. They're the only grandparents she has here, and she thoroughly enjoys spending time with Libby and Mike. Grace, behave yourself."

"I will Mommy. Love you!"

"I love you, too, Sweetheart. Why don't you go ahead and get in the car? I'd like to talk with Caroline for a moment."

(Grace gives her mother a hug and kiss and promptly goes around to the passenger's side of Caroline's car and gets in putting her bag in the back seat. Rachel, a sincere look of concern on her face, turns back toward Caroline.)

"I know you can't tell me anything about where Steve is or what he's doing, but I assume it's something rather dangerous. I'm sure Samantha must be terribly worried about him, and stress can't be good for either her of the baby. If there's anything I can do to help, Caroline, please let me know."

"Thank you, Rachel, I really appreciate that. Having Grace around is the best thing for all of us right now. That little girl's sweet smile can do a world of good when things are a little tense."

"Yes, our girl has a way of making even the darkest day seem bright. I think she gets that from her father. "

"Yeah, Danny does make people laugh and, sometimes, he doesn't really mean to."

(And both young women laugh as they both well know Danny Williams' penchant for saying the most outrageous things. Caroline sees the genuine concern in Rachel's eyes and touches her arm just before getting into the car.)

"Thanks again, Rachel, and, if there's anything else I think you can do to help, I'll let you know."

"Please do. I hope you all have a lovely evening."

(Grace is a very smart little girl and, as soon as Caroline has pulled out of Rachel's driveway and they are on the highway, very calmly brings up the subject of her Uncle Steve.)

"Mom? 

"Yes, Grace?"

"Why is Uncle Steve out of town?"

"You know Uncle Steve's job is to catch bad people and put them in jail, right?"

"Um hmm."

" Well, Uncle Steve is just doing his job and he had to go out of town to do it, but, hopefully, he'll be back home soon."

" 'Kay. . . Mom?"

"Yes, Grace?"

"Is that why Aunt Sam's sad? Because Uncle Steve is out of town?"

"It is, Grace, but I'm sure seeing you will cheer her up."

" 'Kay. . . Mom?"

"Yes, Grace?"

"Do you think Aunt Sam will let me feel the baby moving?"

"I'm sure she will, Grace. Hey, since you were right about Kono's baby being a boy, what do you think Aunt Sam's having?"

"Don't know yet. That's why I want to feel the baby move. See, I knew Eric's baby was a boy 'cause he kicked like a boy. I'll let you know after I feel Aunt Sam's tummy."

(Sam, Mike, Tony, and Adm. Henderson arrive at the airfield just as Danny's plane is landing and they are all soon sitting at a table in a quiet corner of the Officer's Club and waiting for their server to bring their lunch. Mike has just finished explaining the latest developments and Sam's theory, and, Danny, doing a fairly good imitation of one of Steve's dark frowns, is trying to digest everything he's just heard. After a moment, he voices his own opinion.)

"I'm going to call Chin and get him to head out here, and as soon as we get back to Tony's office and talk with Steve, I want to question Adm. Harte."

"I'd like to sit in on that, Danny."

"Well, sure, Sam. Any particular reason why?"

"Yeah. . . You're all going to think I'm crazy, but I don't think Adm. Harte had anything to do with this; at least, not intentionally."

"Sam, the man took personal leave and went to Munich, the home base of Secure Corp., and Istanbul, the home of Alexei's girlfriend, six weeks ago. His personal aide was paid one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars by Secure Corp. in the last six weeks, and now he's disappeared. What more do you need to put two and two together?"

"I know all that, Danny, but Adm. Harte has a long and distinguished record of dedicated service to the United States and I don't think he would deliberately throw away everything he's worked for his whole life!"

"Unbelievable! The man may well have put _your husband and the father of your baby_ in danger!"

"Again, Danny, I do not think Adm. Harte deliberately, intentionally, or consciously did anything to aid and abet Capt. Sims or the Kasavich brothers, or put Steve, or anyone else for that matter, in danger!"

"Prove it!"

"I will!"

"You two kids through with your little spat, now?"

"Sorry, Dad."

"Yeah, Mike, me, too."

"All right then, let's eat lunch and get back to work. And, for the record, I agree with Sam. I've known Bill Harte for quite some time and I find it very difficult to believe he could be a traitor."


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 23, 2011**

(By the time they've finished lunch and gotten back to the SEALs' building, Chin is just pulling into the parking lot and Sam and Danny, back to their rapid fire back and forth again with a little help from Tony, quickly bring him up to speed. By the time the six people are seated in the conference room, Chin more or less has the general idea although he's leaning more towards Danny's viewpoint regarding Adm. Harte than Sam's. At precisely 1330 hours, the large flat screen flickers and Steve's countenance appears. On his end, he sees not only Mike, Tony, and Adm. Henderson, but Sam, Danny, and Chin as well, and he looks a little confused. Once Mike fills him in on what they've discovered, however, the confusion clears and a fierce scowl is firmly lodged on his handsome face.)

"I knew the Kasavich family was cunning, but this is downright diabolical. Good plan, Sir, to go ahead and secure the biological agent before Alexei gets here. They won't be expecting us to do that."

"Wasn't my idea, Commander; it was Cmdr. McGarrett's. Seems we forgot that she knows quite a bit about the Kasavich brothers and their tactics."

(And Steve just grins because he hasn't forgotten a thing. In fact, he's surprised it's taken Sam this long to get herself in the middle of the op. Sam, despite being nearly five months' pregnant and sitting in a room with her father, another Admiral, Tony, Danny, and Chin, is feeling quite warm. Her husband's several days' growth of beard has added a dangerous "bad boy" look to his already handsome face, and she's totally loving it. Steve sees the gleam in his wife's eyes and, knowing full well why it's there, toys with the idea of making her squirm, but decides that it would _not_ be in _his _best interest to do so. Getting his mind back on the matter at hand, Steve relays some intel of his own.)

"We've had the house they're using as a laboratory under surveillance and there are only six guards; four on the perimeter and two inside. I'm going to take my team in to secure the weapon in two hours. As soon as we have it, we'll get it back to the base and then put our own people both in and outside the building. When Alexei Kasavich shows up, we'll make sure he gets a nice, warm welcome."

"You do that, Commander. I'm going to have Lt. Montgomery check in with our friends at the C.I.A. and find out what Alexei's up to; we'll get back with you with a status report ASAP."

"Sounds like a plan, Sir."

"Good. . Oh, and Commander? If you should find yourself in the communications tent in say, about an hour, I believe Cmdr. McGarrett will be able to better brief you. Of course, since this mission is highly classified, you might want to make sure you're the _only_ person in the communications tent at that time."

(And broad grins break out on both Sam's and Steve's faces and everyone else in the room with Sam smiles. Mike's thinly veiled effort to give Sam and Steve some time for a more private communication has fooled no one.)

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(The screen goes blank and Tony heads to his office to contact the C.I.A. Danny, now intent on getting more information, looks over at Adm. Henderson.)

"Can you have Adm. Harte brought over here, Sir? I'd like to question him now."

"I'll call the SPs now, Detective. You can use one of the interview rooms our SEALs use when they're practicing their interrogation techniques. I believe you'll find them quite similar to those you have at your office."

(Ten minutes later, Adm. William Harte is escorted into an interview by two Shore Patrol officers and he looks livid. The Admiral is also very vocal about his displeasure at being treated like a "common criminal". Sam and Danny, standing in the room where the recording equipment for interviews is located and looking through the one-way into the room where Adm. Harte is now seated at the table, exchange glances.)

"Still think he's innocent?"

"Yes, Danny, I do."

"Well, he's certainly _acting_ guilty, Samantha!"

"He's an _Admiral_ and he's acting _frustrated_, Daniel!"

"Oh, so just because he's and Admiral and he's frustrated, he gets a free pass?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Me? You're the one who's being ridiculous!"

"Because I want to wait and see what he has to say _before_ I try, convict, and sentence him?"

(Mike, Allen Henderson, Tony, and Chin are all in the hallway just outside the room, and all three have long-suffering expressions on their faces as they listen to Sam's and Danny's heated exchange.)

"Sounds like the kids are at it again, Mike."

"Indeed."

"Come on, Sir, you've got to admit that Commander McGarrett is more than holding her own. In fact, Admiral, I'd say Danny probably feels he's arguing with _Lt. Cmdr._ McGarrett right about now."

"I'd say you're probably right, Lieutenant."

(Sam and Danny are still at it; neither one of them giving an inch.)

"I'm surprised at you, Danny. You're the one who's always ranting about Steve's lack of regard for procedures, and here you want to throw Adm. Harte to the wolves! Have you never heard the term "fair trial?"

"Think those terrorists Steve's about to bust up know the term?"

"Doesn't matter if they do or don't. You just said it; Steve and his men are about to tear them a new one!"

"That doesn't give Adm. Harte a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card!"

"I didn't say it did!"

(Chin has had enough, and opens the door with a completely sarcastic expression on his face.)

"You two finished? 'Cause somebody needs to go in the other room and question Adm. Harte."

(Both Sam and Danny have the good grace to look a little embarrassed and both of them head out into the hallway and then into the other room; both of them avoiding the eyes of the three men standing in the hallway. Mike, Adm. Henderson, and Tony join Chin and the four wait and watch as Sam takes a seat across from Adm. Harte and Danny paces behind her for a few moments with his arms crossed in front of his chest before he begins the interview.)

"What do you know about Capt. Sims' involvement with Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich, Admiral?"

"I don't know anything about it, Detective Williams. I don't even know if Capt. Sims _is_ involved with the Kasavich family."

"Seriously? You expect us to believe that _your personal aide_ was paid one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars by a company owned by the Kasavich brothers in the past six weeks, he's disappeared, and you know nothing about it?"

"Yes."

"What? Do we look like idiots to you?"

"Danny."

(And the look Sam sends in Danny's direction and the warning tone of her voice let him know that she's not happy with the manner in which he's questioning the Admiral.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett thinks you're innocent in all this. She thinks that Capt. Sims was able to 'persuade' you to have Steve called back to active duty and placed in command of the SEAL team going in after Alexei Kasavich so that Alexei and his men could kill Steve. She thinks that maybe Capt. Sims might have suggested this to you because of Steve's extensive involvement in the apprehension of Dimitri Kasavich, and you, of course, thought it was an excellent idea. She thinks, Admiral, that you would not deliberately send her husband to his death! I, on the other hand, think you're in this up to your eyeballs. Now, you can make things a lot easier for yourself if you just cooperate."

(But while Danny has been on his rant, Adm. Harte's face has become very pale and an expression of horror is beginning to take shape on his face. It's almost as if everyone observing him can see the wheels turning in his head, and, quite suddenly, the man seems to "crumple" right before their eyes. In a matter of seconds, he appears to have aged at least ten years and his shoulders slump as his head drops to his hands. Sam, feeling an extreme rush of compassion for the man, stands up and literally puts her hand squarely in the middle of Danny's chest to stop him before he can continue raging at the man.)

"Admiral, Sir, if you know anything about Capt. Sims' involvement in this, if you have any idea where he might be, please tell us. Det. Williams is right in saying that part of the reason Alexei Kasavich initiated this threat is to lure my husband into a trap. In a little less than two hours, Steve and his men are going to raid a weapons laboratory in Afghanistan where al Qaeda operatives are developing a biological weapon for Kasavich. Any information you can give us that would help them . . . Sir, I love my husband very much and I want my baby to have the chance to know its father, and there are six other men with my husband who have wives and children of their own. Please, Admiral, _help us_!"


	36. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 23, 2011**

(Sam's heartfelt, somewhat tearful plea apparently touches something in the man because he looks up at her with tortured eyes and takes her hand in both of his.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett, you must believe me when I tell you that I had no idea what Capt. Sims was doing. I had no idea he was involved with the Kasavich family. I didn't know, I. Didn't. Know!"

"Then help us, Admiral! Why did you go to Munich and Istanbul six weeks ago?"

"I . . . I suspected something was going on with my aide. Sims had been acting strangely for a few weeks; he was making and receiving a lot of calls on his cellular phone and would hang up if anyone walked into the room. My secretary overheard his end of one of those conversations, and she reported it to me because she heard him discussing a large sum of money. He asked for a day or two of leave, here and there; I granted it because he had it on the books, but he would never tell me where he was going or what he was doing. Part of his job is to review the daily intelligence reports to 'weed out' the cranks from the real threats and he showed a particular interest in anything related to the Kasavich family. I . . . I had begun to suspect that he was involved in something he shouldn't be, so I pulled his phone records; there were no suspicious calls and certainly not any outside the continental United States."

(Chin, Tony, and Mike all say, "burn phone", at the same time, and Sam and Danny exchange glances that say they, too, know Sims was using a "burn" phone.)

"A year ago, Capt. Sims was sent to Munich to make a presentation at a European Armed Forces conference, so I was able to access the records for that trip. I went to Munich, stayed at the same hotel where he'd stayed, ate at the same restaurants he did, but no one approached me. I then went to Istanbul because, after he left the conference, Sims spent three days there. Again, I stayed in the same hotel and ate at the same restaurants. This time, I kept seeing the same young woman; she was the Asst. Manager at the hotel, and she dined in the same restaurants. I took a picture of her with my cellular phone but didn't find anything when I ran it, so that was a dead end. . . . Capt. Sims behaved perfectly normally when I returned, so I just thought I was making a mountain out of a mole hill. In my job, you tend to get a bit paranoid. . .Then we received the intel about the threat to Honolulu, and, yes, when the information first came to me that Alexei Kasavich had asked al Qaeda to develop a biological weapon to be used in an attack on the United States, Sims immediately suggested that I recall Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett and put him in command of the SEAL team going after Alexei."

"A mountain out of a molehill, Admiral? You were concerned enough to take thirty days' leave and check up on Sims; surely you realized that you should have reported this to someone?"

"You must understand, Det. Williams, I hand-picked Sims for the position as my personal aide, I simply could not believe that he would be involved with anything illegal, let alone people like the Kasavich brothers!"

"Do you still have the picture of the woman in Istanbul on your phone?"

"I . .Yes, I believe so."

(Adm. Harte fiddles with his phone for a moment before finding the picture. As soon as he does, he hands to phone to Danny who walks toward the door, but Chin, already knowing what Danny wants him to do, opens the door to the interview room and Danny hands him the phone before turning back to the Admiral.)

"Det. Kelly is going to run a more thorough search for the woman in that picture. In the meantime, Admiral, while you may not be guilty of collusion, you are, at the very least, guilty of bad judgment."

(But, again, Sam sends a warning frown in Danny's direction and her tone is gentle when she speaks to the Admiral.)

Sir, do you have any idea where Capt. Sims could have gone? Does he have a vacation home, a lake or beach house somewhere? Where is he from? Where is his family?"

"He has no living family and he had a house in Virginia Beach; said it's where he liked to go to get away from everything. Other than that, Commander, I have no idea."

(Sam turns toward the mirror and addresses the others in that room.)

"We need to get people out to that beach house ASAP! He's probably not there, but they may able to find something we can use."

(Tony, however, is way ahead of her and is already on the phone. Sam turns back toward the Admiral and he looks up at her with an apologetic expression on his face.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett, I truly am sorry. I would have never put your husband in danger if I had known. . . "

"The important thing is that we know what Alexei had planned. I'm sure you'll understand why I won't disclose what we're planning to do, Admiral, but we can't afford to take any more risks of anything leaking."

"Yes, Commander, I understand. I am no longer trustworthy."

(He turns and looks at the mirror knowing that Mike and Adm. Henderson are on the other side.)

"If you will permit me to use a non-networked computer, I will submit my resignation to the Defense Secretary immediately."


	37. Chapter 37

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 24, 2011**

(Sam and Danny walk out of the interview room leaving a distraught, broken man sitting forlornly at the table. Tony and Chin are already working on obtaining the current status of Alexei Kasavich and running down a name to go with the photo of the young woman on Adm. Harte's phone. Danny wants to follow up on Sims' beach house and Sam heads into the conference room and shuts the door behind her so she can have a private conversation with her husband. Mike Thrasher and Allen Henderson walk into the interview room where Bill Harte sits in total dejection. He glances up with a resigned look in his eyes as the two other men take seats in the chairs across the table from him. All three men are uncomfortable; sadness, disappointment, and, yes, even anger are visible on the faces of both Adm. Thrasher and Adm. Henderson, and Bill Harte realizes that his misguided efforts to protect someone close to him have cost him more than he ever thought imaginable.)

"Why, Bill? Why didn't you report your suspicions about Sims to your superiors?"

"Ted Sims' father and I go way back. His father was also Navy and he was killed in action when Ted was nine and I became a sort of surrogate father to him. He dated my oldest daughter when they were in high school and I had hoped that they would be married one day, but Ellen had apparently had enough of Navy life and ended up marrying an architect. Ted was destroyed when she broke off their relationship their senior year of college, so I decided to 'help' his career along. That's why I appointed him as my personal aide, and, for six years, he did an outstanding job. When I began to suspect that he was involved in something, I . . . I didn't want to believe it; I _couldn't_ believe it, so, instead of reporting my suspicions, I checked into things myself. When I didn't find any significant or specific evidence against Ted, I told myself I was just being paranoid; as I told Det. Williams and Cmdr. McGarrett, in my line of work, I sometimes catch myself being overly suspicious of people. When the threat about an attack on Honolulu came to my attention and Ted suggested recalling Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett because of his intimate knowledge of the Kasavich brothers, well, it seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"And now?"

"And now I know that Ted was using me to further Alexei's and Dimitri's agenda. . . I'm so sorry, Mike. If I had not been so trusting, your son-in-law, and the men with him, would not now find themselves in such a dangerous position."

"I've known you, respected you for many years, Bill. When I heard you had been named as the Navy's liaison to Homeland Security, I couldn't think of anyone else better suited for the job."

(Mike stands up, leans toward Harte, and plants both his hands on top of the table.)

"But let me tell you something, and hear me; loud and clear. If my son-in-law has so much as a scratch, if any of the men on his team are hurt on this op, you will wish you had never met Ted Sims. Your resignation from Homeland Security and from the U.S. Navy will be just the beginning, because I will find a way to make your life a living Hell up to the second you draw your last breath!"

(Mike, visibly shaking with suppressed anger, strides out of the room and leaves Harte and Adm. Henderson sitting in silence. Finally, Allen Henderson slowly stands up and walks to the door. Just before stepping through it, he stops and, still facing away from Harte, adds his own promise.)

"I'll have Lt. Montgomery bring you a secure, non-networked laptop shortly. When you're ready for your resignation to be emailed to the Pentagon, I'll see that it's sent after I've reviewed the document. . . . I agree with Mike. You'd better pray that those SEALs get back here in one piece, because, if they don't, I, too, will never allow you to know a moment's rest."

(Mike has joined Danny, Chin, and Tony in one of the smaller conference rooms they are using and finds Chin working diligently at one of the computers. Facial recognition software is rapidly scanning multiple databases searching for a name to go with the photo of the woman on Harte's phone. Adm. Henderson enters the room and asks Tony to take a laptop to Harte before walking over to stand next to Mike who is staring out the window with his arms crossed in front of him and looking extremely disturbed.)

"What do you want to do, Mike?"

"There's nothing we can do, Allen, except finish the mission. We need to find Sims and question him; he may have information about Alexei Kasavich that would help our SEALs, but, one way or the other, we have to finish this mission. There's still a biological weapon out there that Kasavich cannot be allowed to get his hands on, and Kasavich needs to either be taken into custody or eliminated, and my son-in-law is just the man to get it done."

(Chin's computer screen stops scanning and a soft beeping lets the other occupants of the room know that the program has found a match. A few moments later, Chin stands up and shares the results with everyone else.)

"We've got a positive match. The woman in the pictures Adm. Harte took in Istanbul is Elena Sarkov; she is the girlfriend of Alexei Kasavich."

(There is no doubt, now, that Ted Sims is working with the Kasavich brothers and apparently has been for some time. It is imperative that they locate Ted Sims and do it quickly; Steve's life and lives of his men may depend on their finding the traitor.)


	38. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 24, 2011**

(Sam is in the large conference room waiting patiently for the satellite link to lock and Steve to appear. She is very grateful for the chance to speak with her husband privately; especially in light of the information revealed when she and Danny questioned Adm. Harte. Whether it's pregnancy hormones, missing Steve, anxiety about the op or a combination of all three, Sam is starting to feel a little "weepy" and she is taking some slow, deep breaths in an effort to get her emotions under control. The last thing she wants right now is to start crying in front of Steve. Seconds later, she has succeeded in getting a grip as Steve's handsome, totally "gone native" face appears on the screen. The first thing he does is shoot her one of his sexy, little grins she loves so much and she knows that he is the only person in the communications tent just as she is the only person in the conference room. His opening words confirm her thought.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. Gotta tell you, Steve, that 'lost my razor' thing you've got going on is making me all hot and bothered."

"Is it now?"

"Absolutely. In fact, I may just throw your razor away when I get home."

"Well, damn, Sam, if I'd known my growing a beard would do the trick, I'd have done it years ago. 'Course, I'm not sure the Governor's going to be really thrilled."

"Yeah, and I don't want you scratching the baby, either, so maybe I won't throw away your razor."

"Probably a good idea, but, you know, I don't have to use it _the minute_ I get home."

"I love it when you talk dirty."

(And then Sam gets serious and tells Steve everything she and Danny discovered when they questioned Adm. Harte. Steve takes a moment think over what Sam said and wipes a hand over his face.)

"We've been watching the lab pretty much since we've been here and I'm almost positive the six tangos we talked about earlier are the only ones there, but it surely would be nice if you guys could find and question Sims _before_ we hit that lab."

"We're working on that right now, and you can bet your six we'll be in touch if we get anything. Steve, I . . Damn."

(And Steve instantly knows that Sam is very, very close to crying because he knows his wife better than he knows himself. He also realizes that crying is the very last thing she wants to do at the moment, so he gives her a little help.)

"Meant to ask you, what took you so long to get in on this op, Commander? I'd have thought you would have told Mike, very sweetly, of course, that you were going to be calling the shots on that end."

"Yeah, like I've got a death wish. You forgot I've got six ladies looking to me for some comfort and support, didn't you, Sailor?"

"Not for a second, and I'm sure you're doing an awesome job. Your idea to have all the wives there for the earlier teleconference was amazing, Sweetheart; my guys really appreciated being able to see and talk to their ladies even if it was for just a couple of minutes and the whole world was listening."

"How'd you know it was my idea?"

"You're kidding me, right? What'd you do, Sam, tell Mike you wouldn't talk to me if the other wives couldn't talk to their husbands?"

"Yeah."

" . . . Wow. . I'm proud of you, Sam, and I love you with all my heart."

"I love you, too, Steve, and I want you home. ASAP!"

(But before Steve or Sam can say another word, Danny bursts into the conference room looking like he's just won the lottery.)

"We found Ted Sims, and you won't believe where he is!"

"Well, where is he Danny?"

"In a Hummer with about a gazillion SPs on his way here. He was staying at some sleazebag motel on the other side of the island. Chin put out a BOLO on him and an H.P.D. officer responding to a disturbance call at the motel happened to see him going to the ice machine. He's changed his hair color and shaved off his moustache, but it's him."

"Okay, then, let me know if you get anything out of him that might be helpful. Now, go away; I want to talk some trash with my wife."

"Go away? That's the thanks I get?"

"Thank you. Now, GO. AWAY!"

"Fine! Just remember who's pulling your ass out of the fire, here, Pineapple Boy!"

(And Danny is out the door before Steve can reply. Sam is giggling at the fact that, even though Steve and Danny are over seventy-five hundred miles apart, they are still arguing like cats and dogs. Steve has a mock frown on his face until Danny disappears from view.)

"I'm so gonna kill him when I get home!"

"No you're not. You're going to eat a huge steak and baked potato with all the trimmings, and then you're going to take me to bed and we're going to stay there for at least twenty-four hours."

"A nice, rare steak would be really good right. . . Whoa, forget the steak, Sam; let's just go straight to the two of us staying in bed for twenty-four hours."

"Thought you'd like that idea. Would you like for me to tell you what I plan to do to you once I get you in bed?"

"Not when anyone could come walking into this tent at any second. Besides, I've got a great imagination."

"Yes you do. . Have I ever told you how very much I enjoy it when you. ."

"Sam!"

"Okay, Sailor, I can take a hint. . . How much longer before you hit the lab?"

"Fifty-six minutes."

" 'Kay. We'll be back in touch before you execute. One way or the other, Ted Sims is going to tell _me_ everything damned thing he knows about Alexei's plans. He may be scared of Dad and Adm. Henderson and how much time he's going to spend in prison for what he's done, but he's going to be absolutely petrified by the time I'm through with him!"

"That's my girl. . . Listen, Sam, we aren't going to be able to have a private conversation when you guys get back with me. I love you, Baby, more than anyone or anything else in the world, and I'm going to come home to you just as soon as I can."

"I know you are, Steve. Just swear to me you'll be careful, McBaby and I need you. I love you so much."

"Is McBaby behaving?"

"Like an angel. You know, Steve, we really need to get serious about names. I know we have another four months or so, but . ."

"Yeah, Beautiful, I know. How about we talk about it right after we _finally_ drag our sixes out of bed?"

"Drag is right, Sailor, 'cause you aren't going to be able to walk when I get through with you."


	39. Chapter 39

**CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 24, 2011**

(Ten minutes later, Danny walks back into the large conference and finds Sam sitting at the table staring at the blank flat screen, both hands resting on her baby bump, and tears streaming down her face. Wordlessly, Danny sits down in the rolling chair next to Sam's and moves closer to her. Whereas a few minutes earlier he was full of spit and vinegar when sparring with Steve, his voice and facial expression are full of compassion when he speaks to his sister-in-law.)

"Hey, Steve's going to be okay, Sam, and he'll be home safe and sound before you know it."

"I know that, Danny. Steve's very good at what he does and he's got six great guys with him. If it weren't for the fact that they're going into that lab where a deadly biological agent is just sitting there, I think I'd feel a lot better. They're only going to have one shot at getting in there, securing the weapon, eliminating the tangos and getting out. Anything could happen. What if some of the biological agent isn't in secure containers? What if one of the tangos manages to get to it before they can get to him? What if . ."

"What if you stop worrying about 'what ifs' and have a little faith? Steve knows what he's doing and so do his men."

"I love him so much, Danny; Steve's my life. If anything happens to him I don't think I can stand it."

"Look at me, Sam. . . Steve isn't stupid; he well knows all the risks involved in securing that weapon. I give Steve a lot of grief most of the time, but he's one of the smartest people I know; he won't take any unnecessary chances with his life or the lives of his men. He _loves_ you, Sam, you and that baby you're carrying, more than anything. He's going to make sure that he comes home, healthy and in one piece, to the two of you."

(Sam looks at Danny for a few moments and she sees that he believes every word he's saying. Drawing strength from Danny's steadfast belief in Steve, she can do nothing less. Wiping her eyes and face with one hand, Sam sits up a little straighter and puts a determined smile on her face.)

"Thank you, Danny. I needed to hear that; and you're right, Steve will be fine. . . Is Sims here, yet?"

"Should be in about ten minutes. I sent Chin out to the motel with a forensics team to go over his room."

"Okay. I want to be the one to question Sims when he gets here, and please don't argue with me about this, Danny. I need to do this."

(Danny sees the steely determination on Sam's face and realizes that he can argue until he's blue in the face, but he isn't going to move her on this issue. Standing up, he holds out a hand and helps Sam to her feet with a small smile on his face.)

"Okay, but I think you should go to the Ladies' room and do something with yourself. You look like Hell and Sims isn't going to be the least bit intimidated if you have tears dripping off your face."

"Gee, thanks, Danny."

"Anytime, Sam."

(Sam tells Tony she's going to run over to her office at Flight Ops for a few minutes and he hands her the keys to his truck telling her that Mike will kill him if he finds out that Sam walked over there instead of driving. Rolling her eyes, she thanks him and heads out. Fifteen minutes later, Sam strides back into the building, now wearing a uniform, like a woman on a mission. She finds Mike, Adm. Henderson, Danny, Tony, and Chin in the large conference room discussing the fact that nothing of importance was found in Sims' motel room except a piece of paper with numbers written on that turned out to be the number for an off-shore account in the Cayman Islands. It seems that's where Sims deposited the money he received from Secure Corp. because the balance is exactly one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. All of them look a little surprised when Sam walks in the door, and Chin comments on her changed appearance.)

"A uniform, Sam?"

"Yeah, Danny was concerned that I wouldn't be intimidating enough when I question Sims."

"Hold on a minute. _You're_ going to question Sims?"

"Yeah, Dad, I am. I'm the obvious choice because I know more about the Kasavich brothers and their operation than the rest of you put together. If Sims tries to bullshit me, I'll know it instantly."

"She's got you there, Mike."

"Fine, but I want Danny in the room with you."

"What's the matter, Dad, don't think I'm capable of putting Sims down if I have to?"

"You're five months' pregnant, Sam!"

"And? Don't, for one second, think that any child of mine and Steve's isn't going to be kick ass, 'cause you will be so wrong! 'Little Ninja's' is what I believed Mom called them."

"Sam!"

"Okay, fine. Danny will be in the room with me. Happy now?"

"Not really, but I suppose it will have to do."

"I love you, too, Dad. . . Is he here, yet?"

"He got here about ten minutes ago. He's in the interview room about to lose his lunch."

"Good. If it weren't for the fact that Steve needs whatever we can get from him ASAP, I'd let him sit in there and sweat for an hour or two. C'mon, Danny, let's go intimidate the Hell out of Capt. Sims."

(Danny can't help but grin as he follows Sam down the hallway because Samantha McGarrett is deadly when she's pissed off, and, right now, she's livid. The two walk into the interview room and Danny assumes a casual pose leaning against the wall near the door with his arms crossed over his chest while Sam calmly strolls over to stand in directly in front of the table where Sims, looking a little pale, is sitting.)

"Capt. Sims, I'm Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett. I'm the CAG here at Pearl and the 2IC of this base. I'm also the wife of Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett; _the man you helped set up to be killed!_ While formal charges haven't yet been filed against you; you may rest assured that we have quite a list: Treason, Conspiracy to Commit Treason, Conspiracy to Commit Fraud, Colluding with a Declared Enemy of the United States, Conspiracy to Commit Murder; quite the list, indeed, and I'm sure we'll be adding to that list. Right now, we have enough evidence to put you _under _the prison, Captain, and, if any of those SEALs dies, we'll add First Degree Murder to your charges. Adm. Harte has already submitted his resignation to the Secretary of Defense and will be damned lucky if he's _allowed_ to resign instead of being dishonorably discharged and maybe even court-martialed. Adm. Harte has several decades of unblemished service to the United States Navy behind him and, because he cared about you, considered you to be a son to him and wanted to help you, he's losing everything he ever worked for, everything that means something to him. He's being forced to leave the Navy in disgrace. That pisses me off, Captain, because Adm. Harte is a good man. Now you, on the other hand, are nothing more than a selfish, greedy bastard who could care less about what happens to other people. Tell me something. . . Is one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars all you asked for or all the Kasavich brothers were willing to give you for betraying your country?"

(As Sam has been calmly speaking, as if she were talking about the weather, Ted Sims has been getting paler with her every word. He even gasped softly when she uttered the words, 'treason' and 'murder'. The fear in his eyes also grew when she told him that Adm. Harte had been found out and was no longer in a position to help him. Sam is thoroughly disgusted at the weak, spineless man sitting before her and her disgust is reflected in Danny's expression, as well. Sims has not yet said anything, so Sam continues speaking to him, but, this time, she places both hands flat on the table and leans toward him; invading his personal space and getting right in his face.)

"I want to know everything you know about the threat of a biological weapon being used here in Honolulu, I want to know everything you know about how Alexei Kasavich plans to kill my husband, and I want that information right now. You have two choices, Captain Sims; one, you give me the information I want and I'll see to it that your cooperation is made known to the panel at your court-martial and Adm. Thrasher, Adm. Henderson, and I will write letters requesting leniency during sentencing or, two, I will make certain that you spend the rest of your life in the worst Hell-hole on this planet and I'll also make sure that the Kasavich family thinks you gave them up. We both know that there are people in prisons right here in the United States who work for the Kasavich family; in exchange for the Kasavich brothers taking care of their families on the outside. You won't live a week if Alexei and Dimitri think you've betrayed them. You're going to prison no matter what, Captain. The question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you want to live. You have ten minutes to make up your mind. After that, my offer's off the table."

(And Sam straightens up and calmly walks out the door with Danny right behind her. They step into the observation room where Mike, Adm. Henderson, Chin, and Tony have all been watching and they join them in observing Ted Sims. The man has a look of sheer horror on his face. He is well and truly terrified and begins to tremble as sweat starts beading on his brow. Danny, Chin, and Tony are all looking at Sam with newfound respect, and Mike and Adm. Henderson are giving her appraising glances.)

"That was very impressive, Sam."

"Thanks, Chin. I just hope it works."

"I'm just glad you're on our side, Commander.


	40. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 25, 2011**

(For a few minutes the group in the observation room watches silently as Capt. Ted Sims slowly unravels right in front of them. It is obvious that he is just now beginning to realize exactly how much trouble he is in and that he is, most definitely, going to jail for a very long time. Through out the minutes of waiting, Sam remains, calm, composed, and her facial expression never wavers from determination. With just three minutes left before the end of Sam's deadline, Ted Sims starts yelling that he's ready to talk; begging, really, for anyone who can hear him to please send Cmdr. McGarrett back into the room. Danny moves toward the door of the observation room, but Sam puts her hand on his arm to stop him and allows Sims to yell and beg for another full minute before she opens the door and she and Danny step back onto the interview room. Danny, once again, assumes a casual stance against the wall and Sam calmly walks over and sits down across the table from Sims. The man is desperate, and he's shaking like a leaf.)

"Are you ready to cooperate now, Capt. Sims?"

"Yes! Yes, I'll tell you whatever you want to know!"

"Good. Let's start with the laboratory in Jalalabad where al Qaeda operatives have developed and are storing the biological agent. How many tangos are guarding the building?"

"Six; four on the outside and two on the inside."

"Do the same six people guard the lab all the time or do they rotate out?"

"They rotate the guards every forty-eight hours. When they do, there are twelve guards there for a period of about an hour."

(Sam turns her head and sends a concerned glance toward the mirror. In the other room, Tony has established a satellite link with the U.S. Base and has Steve watching and listening in to every word exchanged in the interview room. The guards could be changing shifts at any time now, and Steve and his team need to be aware of this possibility. Mike raps softly, twice, on the glass to let Sam know that Steve is receiving the feed.)

"Tell me about the biological agent, Captain. How much of it was manufactured and how is it being stored?"

"Alexei asked them to manufacture six liters. It's a liquid that turns to gas when exposed to air, and it's stored in the same type of containers used for other type of nerve or biological agents. Alexei had a special storage unit sent to Jalalabad in which to store the canisters; it's the same type the CDC uses and keeps the canisters perfectly balanced."

"How volatile is this chemical agent?"

"It won't explode if the canister is dropped, but, if the canister seal is broken, there's a good chance the gas would be released into the air. Death is instantaneous; within a matter of seconds."

"All right, just to make sure we're clear. . . There are six sealed canisters of the agent being stored in a CDC-approved chemical storage cabinet in the lab."

"Yes."

"Where in the house is the storage container?"

"In a room in the middle of the house Alexei had specially constructed. The walls are two feet thick reinforced steel encased in concrete. There is only one door into the room and it has an electronic lock triggered by a retinal recognition program."

"Is it programmed to recognize the retinal scans of any of the guards?"

"Yes. There are only five people whose retinal scans will be accepted; the four guards who rotate inside the house and Alexei Kasavich."

"When is Alexei going to Jalalabad to pick up the biological agent?"

"I . . I'm not sure."

"You did well, Capt. Sims. Provided the information you have given me is accurate, I'll follow through on my end of our deal. If you've lied to me, you won't have to worry about a court-martial or the Kasavich brothers; I'll kill you myself."

(And Sam calmly stands up and walks out of the room, Danny, again, right behind her. They head straight to the large conference room where Tony has transferred the satellite link and find everyone else there waiting for them; including a darkly frowning Steve. As soon as he sees Sam, however, he can't stop the grin that spreads across his face.)

"You were perfect, Sam. You got what we needed. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I just hope to God Sims didn't lie to me. You're going to have to take one of the tangos inside the lab alive, Steve. You're going to need him for the retinal scan on the lock."

"We need to eliminate all of them, Sam. Let me worry about the retinal scan. . . All right, we're heading out to raid the lab and secure the weapon. If all goes well, I should be back in touch with you at . . . 1700 hours."

"Good luck, Commander, and be careful."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(And the screen goes blank and now, there's nothing for the six people in Hawaii to do but wait until they hear from Steve. Adm. Harte has already been taken back to the BOQ under house arrest and, as soon as the SP's have escorted Capt. Sims to the base brig, Mike turns to Sam.)

"Why don't you go home for a little while and rest, Sweetheart? It's going to be a couple of hours until we hear from Steve and there's no sense in you hanging around here."

"I want to be here when he contacts you, Dad. I need to see for myself that he's all right."

"I understand that, Sam, but you need some rest, too."

"I will rest, Dad, as soon as I know that Steve's okay."


	41. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 25, 2011**

(Mike realizes that he's not going to get anywhere with trying to get Sam to go home, so he changes direction.)

"All right, if you won't go home and rest, why don't you change back into the clothes you had on earlier? You've already talked to Sims and you'd be more comfortable."

"_That_ I will do, and, is anybody hungry? I could use a little snack. Maybe some fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa. You guys good with that?"

(Danny and Chin both look horrified, Adm. Henderson smothers a smile and suddenly gets very interested in looking over a print out of background information on Ted Sims, Mike just snickers as he remembers overhearing the conversation between Sam and Caroline about the aforementioned fried ice cream, and Tony, completely understanding Sam at the moment, just smiles indulgently and comes to her rescue.)

"Tell you what, Commander. How about I run you over to Flights Ops so you can change and then we'll make a run to Pedro's. You guys want anything?"

(Sam and Tony are out the door in a matter of minutes, and Mike, between bursts of laughter, does his best to console Danny and Chin.)

"You know, Chin I can understand; he's never been an expectant father, but you, Danny, I'm surprised at you. Surely Rachel had cravings when she was pregnant with Gracie?"

"Not ones for fried ice cream smothered in guacamole and salsa. I mean, is Sam actually going to eat that? Oh God, is she going to eat it in front of us?"

(As soon as they are on their way to Pedro's, Sam glances over at Tony and offers him a small smile.)

"Thanks, Tony; I really appreciate you volunteering to go with me. Kept me from having to ask you to, and, we're not going to Pedro's."

"We're not?"

"Nope. We're going to your house."

"My house?

"Your house. McBaby's been kicking like he or she's running a Marathon for the past couple of hours and I think we both need to relax and settle down for a while. Problem is, that's certainly not going to happen at the base and, with Mom and Caroline and the girls coming to my house in a little while, it's not going to happen there, either. And you, my friend, need to see your wife and son."

(And then it dawns on Tony exactly why Sam made such an outrageous request; it got both of them out of a tense situation, Sam doesn't have to go home and have her mother hover over her for the next couple of hours, and Tony gets to see his wife and son whom he _hasn't_ seen since the night before.)

"You, Samantha McGarrett, are one, sneaky, conniving, scary, wonderful woman and I thank you."

"You're welcome, although I'm not too sure about the 'scary' part of that description. I'm scary, really?"

"Only to tangos and suspects. To the rest of us, you're an angel."

(In no time Sam and Tony are pulling into the Montgomery's driveway and, because Tony called and gave her a "heads up", Kono, holding Eric, is standing outside when Tony parks in the driveway. As soon as she's out of Tony's truck, Sam is reaching for the baby and smiling down into his sweet face one she has him in her arms.)

"Hello, little man. I swear you get cuter every time I see you. Listen, Eric, we need to have a little talk. See, in about four more months, you're going to have a new little friend to play with. Now, of course I know that you're not quite old enough to do a lot running around yet, but I need you to show McBaby the ropes once he or she gets here; okay?"

(And Sam continues talking to baby Eric as she carries him into the house while his parents follow at a slower pace.)

"Not that Eric and I aren't glad to see you, but what on Earth are you guys doing here, Tony?"

"We've done all we can do on this end, K. Steve's team is executing phase one of the op as we speak, but we won't know anything for a few hours, so Mike tried to talk Sam into going home and getting some rest. Libby and Caroline and maybe some of the other wives are already at Sam's and Steve's, and I'm assuming you and Eric were heading over there a little later, and, well, Sam wasn't up to all the people and hovering and worrying, and she said, if we came over here, she could have a little peace and quiet and the two of us could spend some tine together."

"Smart woman, but we should go inside; I don't think Eric's going to let her have any peace and quiet."

"No, K, I think hanging out with Eric is exactly what Sam needs right now."

(Steve wastes no time in sharing the information Sam got from Sims with his team and they discuss what they need to do in order for their mission to be a success. The three new kids look a little green around the gills at one point in the discussion, but quickly suck it up when both Steve and Senior Chief Newton cast questioning glances in their direction. The two older men exchange looks and quickly change up the assignments slightly. Steve and Senior Chief Newton will be responsible for taking care of the two guards inside the house; the two guards who can access the biological agent with their retinal scans. Steve tells his men to gear up as they'll be leaving in five minutes. A couple of minutes later, Petty Officer Joe Michaels sheepishly approaches Steve.)

"Sir, could I talk with you a minute?" 

"Of course, you can, Michaels. What's on your mind?"

"I don't want you to think that Sanchez and Landry and I are squeamish or anything, Sir. It's just that, well, this is actually our first op, Commander, and it just caught us by surprise, Sir; that's all."

"It's all right, Michaels, I've never had to do anything like this before, either; never even had to think about it. I think you'll find, though, that you'll be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done once we actually get in there. And, Michaels? No one thinks any less of you because you found that part of the op plan. . Distasteful."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

(Senior Chief Newton, who overheard the exchange, walks up to Steve as the younger man joins their teammates.)

"The new kids will be fine, Boss. They'll do their job when we get to the laboratory."

"I know they will, Senior. Can't really blame them. Have you ever had to something like this before?"

"No, Sir, but there's always a first time for everything."

"Indeed there is, Senior."

**A/N: Anyone have a clue as to what may have made the baby SEALs a little squeamish? Still haven't gotten a correct answer to the conundrum from earlier chapters, so here's another clue: The puzzle has to do with Caroline. Hope to hear from you all soon. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I appreciate all of you sooooo much! Michelle**


	42. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 25, 2011**

(Petty Officer Mark James, the team's medic, steps over to Steve and Senior Chief Newton and lowers his voice so that only the two men can hear what he has to say.)

"Boss, I think I speak enough Farsi and Pashtu to get our message across to the two guards inside the house once we gain entry; at least, I can try. If they don't want to play ball, we take them out. If that happens, I'll do what has to be done. We'll have about three minutes to get the eye out and scan it before it loses tissue integrity and the retinal scanner won't be able to read it correctly."

"You realize that they're probably not going to step up to the plate, don't you, James?"

"Yes, Sir, but, if at all possible, I'd like to give them the option."

"All right, but if either of them makes even the slightest move to take defensive action, they're dead men."

"Understood, Sir, and, thank you."

"Thank _you_, Petty Officer. I wasn't looking forward to digging out a man's eyeball with a pocket knife even if he is dead. I'm sure you're not, either, but, if they won't cooperate, it

has to be done."

"I know, Sir."

"All right then; let's do this."

(The six SEALs slip away from the U.S. base and head toward the al Qaeda lab on the outskirts of Jalalabad moving as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid detection. There's a grim set to Steve's jaw, but he is extremely calm and centered. Now that they are _finally_ taking action, his every thought, every movement is deliberate and purposeful. He is ready to secure the weapon and get it into the hands of the chemical and biological warfare specialists with the U.S. military so they can attempt to reverse-engineer the agent and develop an antidote, a preventative serum, or both because one thing's for sure: if al Qaeda manufactured the weapon once, they can, and most likely will, do it again and the U.S. and her allies need to make sure they're prepared if that happens. Steve will feel a lot better once this first phase of the op is completed; they can then put their people both inside and outside the lab and wait for the arrival of Alexei Kasavich. Once he gets there, it should be a simple matter of either apprehending or eliminating him and they can go home, and Steve McGarrett is more than ready to go home. .

Sam and Tony have been at the Montgomery's for about an hour and Sam has thoroughly enjoyed holding and talking to little Eric Montgomery while his parents spent some time out in the back yard. Once they came back in the house, Kono heated a bottle for Eric and Sam is feeding him while Tony takes a shower and changes into a fresh uniform. Kono sits on the sofa watching Sam with a smile on her face.)

"You're a natural at this, Sam and it's obvious that Eric totally adores you."

"The feeling is mutual 'cause I absolutely adore Eric. . . Can I ask you something that's . . well, sort of personal, Kono."

"Sure, we're family."

"Are you sure, because this really, really personal."

"As long as you don't ask me about the particulars of our sex life, I think we'll be okay, Sam, shoot."

(But Sam has an uncertain look on her face. She doesn't want to hurt Kono, but she also wants an answer to her question. Finally, she just goes ahead and asks.)

"I've been thinking about trying to nurse McBaby once he or she gets here, and I was just wondering. . ." 

"Sam, the reason I couldn't nurse Eric is because my milk production was extremely small. Lt. Cmdr. Denning said that this happens sometimes and particularly with first babies although it's not that common. He also said that women who don't produce enough milk with first babies usually can with subsequent pregnancies, so, when Tony and I decide to have another baby, maybe I'll be able to nurse that one. I think you should give it a try. It's a proven fact that babies who nurse aren't as susceptible to ear infections or colds, or a lot of other things little ones come down with and, even though I wasn't able to provide enough milk for Eric, the few times he actually did nurse were amazing. It was a bonding experience I wouldn't trade for the world."

"Okay, I'll give it a shot. Thank you for sharing that with me, Kono. I'm a little scared that I won't be a good mother when the baby gets here so I really appreciate you talking with me."

"I was scared too, Sam, but, once you have that sweet angel in your arms, your maternal instinct will kick in and you'll know exactly what to do. You'll be fine. In fact, I think you and Steve are going to be amazing parents."

"Yeah, me, too."

(Tony, completely unaware that he's walking in on a bonding moment, walks into the den and, seeing Sam set Eric's empty bottle on the end table, throws a cloth diaper over his shoulder, gently takes his son from Sam, and proceeds to place him on his shoulder and starts patting his back ever so softly. Walking into the kitchen with his son, Tony has completely forgotten all about Sam and Kono as he carries on a conversation with Eric about behaving for Mommy while Daddy's working. Both young women smile as they watch him, and Sam tries to imagine how Steve is going to interact with their baby. One thing's for sure; she's going to thoroughly watching every, single moment of her husband's interaction with their child.)


	43. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 25, 2011**

(Sam and Tony head back to the base and both feel much better; Sam because spending time with Kono and little Eric without people hovering over her was exactly what she needed and Tony because he had a chance to spend some time with his wife and son, take a hot shower, and change into a clean uniform. When they arrive at the base, they find Danny, Chin, Mike, and Adm. Henderson sitting in the large conference room eating Chinese take out and waiting patiently for word from Steve. Since Sam is supposed to having pot luck with the other wives at her house in a little while and Tony grabbed something at home, they both politely decline the offer of moo goo gai pan, but Tony gets himself a cup of coffee and brings Sam a bottle of water. He has just resumed his seat when a soft, trilling alarm lets them know they are receiving an incoming message, Tony confirms the security protocols, and Steve's image appears on the screen moments later. An inaudible sigh of relief seems to fill the room when they realize that Steve's fine and appears to be very calm, and a smile finds it's way to Sam's face. Mike, also extremely relieved to see his son-in-law, asks for a report.)

"Good to see you, Commander. Sitrep."

"The weapon is secured, Sir; it's on the way to Ramstein where a team from the Army's bio-chemical warfare unit is waiting. All six tangos were eliminated and my men are in place at the lab awaiting the arrival of Alexei Kasavich."

"Good work, Commander. Alexei is en route to the lab as we speak; his estimated ETA is twenty-seven minutes from now."

"Then you'll excuse me, Sir, if I cut this short. I need to return to the lab before he gets here."

"Carry on, Commander, and I want to hear from you as soon as you have him in custody and return to base."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(The atmosphere in the conference room is much more relaxed once the screen goes blank and there are smiles all around. Sam, seeing that it's 1745 hours and she has guests arriving at her house in fifteen minutes, slips from the room and calls Caroline.)

"Please tell me you're on you way home."

"Not yet, but I hope to be in about thirty or forty-five minutes, and I hope to be bringing good news with me."

"Yeah? 

"Yeah. Listen, don't say anything to the other wives, okay? I don't want to get their hopes up for nothing."

"Okay. And Sam? Take whatever time you need to, we'll be fine."

"Thanks, Caroline."

"Not a problem. Mom and Kono are here and, between Eric and Grace, these women are so distracted they don't have time to worry about anything. See you when you get here."

(Steve quickly rejoins his men and they wait, dressed in the same clothes as the men who were guarding the lab, for Alexei Kasavich. When Kasavich and the nine men with him arrive at the lab, they "breeze" in and Alexei demands that his weapon be turned over to him. Unfortunately for him, the only thing he receives is a plastic bracelet around his wrists that is pulled tight and locked effectively preventing him from taking action against the SEALs. Of the nine men with him, only two survive the deadly shoot out between them and the SEALs, and they, too, are taken captive and all three are returned to the U.S. base. When Steve contacts Pearl again, he reports they have Kasavich in custody and Adm. Thrasher instructs both Steve and the base commander that Steve will conduct Alexei's interrogation before Alexei is transported to a holding facility in the United States. After a few minutes of discussion, Steve informs his father-in-law when his team will be leaving the base en route to Hawaii and the screen goes blank. The people in the conference room at Pearl are greatly relieved and Sam heads home for the pot luck with the girls. Although she invites everyone with her to attend as well, Tony opts to head home to his wife and son, Chin heads home to Lana, and Adm. Henderson heads home to his wife. Danny and Mike, however, tag along as their wives are at Sam's and Steve's and, well, they have to eat somewhere and Sam needs a ride home. Twenty minutes later, the three arrive at the McGarrett's house to find everyone she was expecting already there and sitting out on the back deck. When Libby sees her husband and son-in-law with her daughter, she realizes, as does Beth Newton, Shannon Brandt, and Kelly James, that something has happened; something of importance with the guys op. Sam, a wide smile on her beautiful gets the ladies' attention before making her announcement.)

"Ladies, thank you all for coming this evening. I apologize for being late, but I think you'll forgive me when I tell you my news. . . Our husbands have successfully completed their mission and should be back in Hawaii no later than day after tomorrow, and they're all fine; not a one of them has so much as a scratch."

(Sam's words are met with huge smiles and a round of applause, and Tricia Sanchez starts to profusely thank Mike.)

"Thank you, Adm. Thrasher, for doing everything you could to make sure our husbands got home safely."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Sanchez, but Cmdr. McGarrett is who you should be thanking. She was able to extract critical information from a suspect we now have in custody who was working with the terrorists. This information allowed our SEALs to execute their op easily and safely. . . Now, unless I've totally lost my sense of smell, I believe there's some bar-b-cue chicken somewhere that's loudly calling my name."

(Everyone laughs and they begin to break up into small groups to fill their plates and sit down to eat. Libby, a look in her eyes that causes Sam, Mike, and Danny a moment of unease, corners the three of them in the kitchen for a minute before they join everyone on the deck to eat.)

"Samantha, did I hear your father say that _you_ questioned a suspect?"

"Um, yes, Ma'am."

(Libby whips her head around to glare at Mike and Danny.)

"Are the three of you totally insane? Sam is five months' pregnant; she has no business in an interrogation room with anyone!"

"Libby, Danny was in the room with her the whole time; neither she nor the baby was ever in any danger."

"Yeah, and she got the information Steve needed and she did it quickly, Libby. In fact, if Sam hadn't of questioned the guy, there's a good chance Steve or some or all of his men could have been seriously injured or killed. And I _was_ right there; there was no way I would have allowed Sam to get hurt."

"Still, I sometimes wonder if any of you know the meaning of the word _danger_!"

"Mom, I'm fine, McBaby's fine, and, most importantly, my husband and McBaby's Daddy is fine."

"I'm still not happy about this, and, if there weren't a house full of people here at the moment, we would continue this discussion. However, Sam has guests and we're all going to entertain them, but don't, for one second, think we're not going to revisit this later!"

(And Sam, Danny, and Mike all look at each other with "Uh oh, we're so screwed" expressions on their faces for a moment; and then, they all smile because they know Libby loves them and her bark is way worse than her bite.)


	44. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 26, 2011**

(Once everyone is seated, Sam again sitting with the six other wives and Grace, the conversation is much more relaxed. About five minutes later, Tony, looking sheepish because he forgot his wife and son were at the McGarrett's, walks out onto the back deck and gives his wife a kiss on the cheek. Kono, after giving him a hard time because he couldn't remember where his family was, laughingly tells him to sit down and she'll fix him a plate. She, and everyone else, knows that Tony's just spent the last thirty-six or so hours in an intense op and all is forgiven for his lapse in memory. Besides, going home first gave him the chance to change into a pair of shorts and a polo shirt, and he looks much more relaxed. Grace has been behaving beautifully and all the younger children seem to have elected her their unofficial leader. When the little girl is finished eating, she slides her chair closer to Sam's and carefully places her little hand on Sam's tummy; her face a study in intense concentration. Smiling down at her niece, Sam leans back in her chair and sits perfectly still. A few minutes later, McBaby begins to move and Grace's little face breaks out in a precious smile. Everyone's attention has unconsciously focused on what Grace is doing, and they all wait for her to make her pronouncement.)

"Well, Gracie, what do you think? Are Uncle Steve and I having a boy or a girl?"

"It's hard to say, Aunt Sam. The baby has a strong kick, but, then again, it's moving kind of slow; kind of like it's swimming."

"In a way, the baby is swimming, Nugget. Although, I guess McBaby's really floating."

"Floating, that's it! The way you do when you do anything; easily and, . . and. .

"Gracefully, Sweetie?"

"That's it, Tony, _grace_fully. Like me! You and Uncle Steve are going to have a girl, Aunt Sam!"

(And, of course, all the adults laugh softly; not at Grace, but at the way she said "gracefully". Satisfied that she has accurately predicted what Sam is having, Grace promptly returns to her chocolate cake. Danny, being his usual, smart-assed self, can't resist.)

"My daughter has spoken, Sam. You and Pineapple Boy better start picking out girl's names."

" 'Pineapple Boy'?"

"Yeah, Beth, it's a long story."

"Hmph. My husband just loves to pick on Steve, and name calling is just one of the ways Danny tries to get under Steve's skin."

"Danny found the suspect who gave us the information Steve and the guys needed to complete their mission, Caroline. I don't think Steve will mind one bit if Danny calls him names. At least; for a little while."

(Steve and his men, confident in the knowledge that Alexei Kasavich and his two surviving me are locked up securely and under heavy guard, take some time to eat a hot meal, take hot showers, change into clean BDUs, and get some much needed uninterrupted sleep after they debrief. Lying on the cot in his tent, Steve thinks back over the past few days and, although the op went about as smoothly as it possibly could, Alexei Kasavich is in custody, and the threat of a biological attack on Honolulu has been eliminated, he cannot truly relax. The thought that things went _too_ smoothly runs through his mind. In fact, he had a discussion about this very thing with Senior Chief Newton while they were eating. The Senior Chief just laughed and told him not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but Steve hasn't made it through numerous dangerous missions with the Navy, and survived the many different perils he's been in with Five-0 without relying on his instincts. At the moment, his gut feeling is that this mission isn't over; that something's wrong, but he can't put his finger on what that something might be. However, there's nothing he can do about it at the moment and he wants to be well-rested and sharp when he questions Alexei in a few hours, so he forces himself to relax and allows thoughts of his wife and unborn baby to fill his mind. Closing his eyes, Steve turns on his side and a small smile curves his sensuous lips when his mind's eye sees Sam sitting in the conference room at Pearl with a beautiful smile on her face and absently rubbing her baby bump. Thinking back to their conversation just before the raid on the lab, he realizes that they do, indeed, need to start talking about what they're going to name McBaby. Steve really doesn't care if they have a boy or a girl just as long as Sam and the baby make it through the labor and delivery okay. The last conscious thought he has is what their baby will look like, and, again, he sees Sam's beautiful face and has no doubt their child, boy or girl, is going to be one, seriously good-looking kid. . .

In exceedingly high spirits because their husbands are going to be home soon, the wives of the men on Steve's team refuse to allow Sam, or anyone else, to lift one finger to clean up and put away the tables they had set up out on the deck. In short order, the ladies and their children have everything in order and are taking their leave as they know Sam has been involved in the op and needs to rest. Kono, Tony, Caroline, and Danny aren't far behind them, and Sam, Grace, Libby, and Mike sit out on the McGarrett's back deck, Sam on one of the loveseats with Gracie lying on the seat and her head in Sam's lap, and just enjoy the beauty of the clear night. Gracie had been given the option of spending the night with Caroline and Danny or Libby and Mike, but she and Sam both quickly stated that she was spending the night at the McGarrett's. Libby, quite satisfied that her daughter and grandchild are both all right, watches as Sam gently strokes the hair back from Grace's sweet, little face and the two of them carry on their own quiet conversation. Feeling an intense maternal pride, Libby stands up and tells her husband that it's time for them to go home.)


	45. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 26, 2011**

(After seeing her parents out and making sure the house is secured for the night, Sam and Gracie head upstairs to get ready for bed. Knowing how much Grace loves their garden tub; Sam starts a bath for the little girl and adds some of her gardenia-scented bath salts to the water.)

"Aunt Sam?"

"Yes, Gracie."

"Can I sleep with you tonight instead of in my room, please?"

"Sure you can, Nugget."

" 'Kay. I'll be glad when Uncle Steve gets home."

"Me, too, Gracie. McBaby and I have missed him so much."

"What are you and Uncle Steve going to name your baby?"

"Don't know yet. We're going to talk about it when your Uncle Steve gets home."

" 'Kay, but you need to talk about girl names 'cause that's what you're having; a girl."

"Sure about that, are you?"

"Well, pretty sure. "Course, a boy would be really cool, too. Doesn't matter what you have, Aunt Sam; we'll love your baby, boy or girl."

"Yes, we will, Gracie, and I know you're going to be the best cousin in the world. McBaby is very lucky because I know you're going to take very good care of

"I love you, Aunt Sam."

"I love you, too, Nugget. Let's get you dried off and into your pajamas and then we'll see if we can find a movie to watch, okay?"

(And Sam and Gracie pile into Sam's and Steve's huge bed and do, indeed, find themselves a movie to watch. Grace falls asleep about halfway through it and Sam gently pulls the bedcovers securely over the little girl before turning off the television and drifting off to a peaceful, dreamless sleep. . .

Steve isn't the only one who's thinking the mission went extremely smoothly. After they get home, Mike Thrasher stands out on his back deck and looks out over the moonlit ocean as he sips on a glass of Scotch. Libby, having seen her husband do this many times over the years, knows that he is troubled by something, but she also knows that he will tell her what's bothering him only when he's ready and not before. Of course, Libby realizes that whatever it is that has Mike out of sorts involves Steve and that concerns her, as well. The very fact that Mike kept his concerns from Sam is, in itself, telling, and Libby knows that Mike is deeply worried. Hoping to provide him the comfort of her support, Libby steps out onto their deck and moves to stand next to her husband at the railing. Mike, knowing his wife well, knows she won't ask what's bothering him, but, in a very rare occurrence, he decides to tell her.)

"It's getting late, Libby."

"Yes, it is, but you're still up."

"I'm worried, Libby. Things went too smoothly on this op; too easily."

"What are you saying, Mike? Do you think Steve's still in danger?"

"I don't know, Libby, I just don't know. . . I'll feel much better when those boys are back here safe and sound."

(As much as Libby would like to discuss this with Mike in greater detail, she knows that he has said just about as much as he's going to for the moment. She kisses his cheek and, with an admonishment to not stand out there all night, she heads back inside. Libby knows, however, that Mike won't come inside for a while; he never does when he's troubled. Libby also knows that, if something is bothering Mike to the point of keeping him awake, it can't be good. Now she's worried about Steve and his men, and she doesn't want to be the one to have to tell Sam if something happens to Steve. It is quite some time before Mike comes in the house and slips in bed beside Libby, and even longer before either of them can go to sleep. . .

Sam awakens the next morning when the baby starts kicking and she smiles when she opens her eyes and finds Gracie sitting Indian-style on the bed with both her little hands on Sam's baby bump. The expression on her niece's little face is priceless.)

"What's the matter, Nugget?"

"Nothing, except I've decided I was wrong. This baby is a boy, Aunt Sam."

"Oh? What makes you say that, Sweetie?"

"Because I've been sitting here for at least five minutes and this baby's been kicking hard the whole time. Yep, it's definitely a boy!"

"Because it's been kicking for five straight minutes?"

"Yeah. Mom says only men don't know when to stop when they're being annoying and Mommy agrees with her."

"So do I. Maybe McBaby's kicking so hard because he or she is hungry. How about you, Gracie? Want some waffles?"

"If we can get them at IHOP."

"IHOP it is. Let's get dressed and go eat."

(Sam jumps in the shower while Gracie's getting dressed and twenty minutes later, she and Gracie are in her Porsche driving down the highway with the wind blowing their blonde hair, the sun shining down on them, and both of them are smiling and laughing. They have just given their server their orders when Sam's cellular phone rings.)

"Hey, Mom."

"Good morning, dear. What are you and my sweet granddaughter up to this fine morning?"

"We're at IHOP having breakfast. . . Are you still mad with me and Dad and Danny?"

"I was never mad with any of you, Sam, and I know that you would never put yourself or your baby in danger and I also know that your father and Danny would never let anyone hurt you. I guess I reacted the way I did because I was worried about Steve and those other young men, and, well, I didn't really have anything to do on this op; not even cook for everyone, and I was feeling . . Left out."

"Oh, Mom."

"I know, I know. . . That's a very childish way to feel, and I should be ashamed of myself, but, I was worried about all of you, Sam, and I wasn't there to see with my own eyes that you were okay."

"It's okay, Mom. . I love you, too."

"I love you, too, Grandma!"

"What are you and Gracie doing after breakfast, Sam?"

"Hadn't really thought about it, Mom."

"Well, why don't to two of you come over here when you're through there? We'll call everyone and just make a day of it."

"Sounds like a plan. Want us to bring anything?"

"Just yourselves, Sam. I love you and tell Grace I love her, too."

"Grandma says she loves you. And, we're going over there and spend the day when we leave here, okay?"

"Sure. I like hanging out at Grandma's and Grandpa's." 


	46. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 27, 2011**

(Lana and Chin, Caroline and Danny, and Kono and Tony are already at the Thrasher's beach house when Sam and Grace arrive and Gracie promptly heads straight to Tony, who's holding Eric, and plops down beside him on the swing on the back deck. Knowing exactly what Gracie wants, Tony carefully places his son in her arms and lets her hold the baby boy.)

"Hey, Gracie's changed her mind about McBaby. She's decided I'm not having a girl; I'm having a boy because Caroline and Rachel and I all agree that men don't know when to stop when they're being annoying."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Come again?"

(And amazingly, while Danny, Chin, and Tony all look thoroughly confused, Caroline, Lana, Kono and Libby all just nod their heads as if in agreement. Mike is wisely remaining neutral and keeping his mouth shut. Danny, of course just can't let it go.)

"That didn't make the first bit of sense, Sam."

"Yeah, Romeo, it did."

"It did? Caroline, you understood what she just said?"

"Yeah."

"What's not to understand, Danny?"

"You, too, Lana?"

"Why do you guys not get it? Made perfect sense to me."

"C'mon, K, we _don't_ get it so how about explaining it?"

(But it's Gracie who speaks for all the ladies.)

"You guys are being annoying. That's how I know Aunt Sam's baby is a boy; he was being annoying first thing this morning."

"Ah. . . What was the baby doing, Gracie?"

"He was kicking Aunt Sam really, really hard and woke her up."

(Chin and Danny are looking at Tony like he's an alien from another planet, but Tony _gets_ it. The ladies head down to the beach, all of them laughing while Tony tries to patiently explain the entire conversation to Danny and Chin. When they realize that the ladies were being . . Derogatory towards men in general, they get all huffy. Which lasts about three minutes; until they get down to the beach and start playing in the water with Grace. . .

They have a wonderful morning at the beach but Sam is a little disappointed that she doesn't have a maternity swim suit and can't really get in the water. Kono, knowing how much Sam loves the water, talks her into going shopping for one, and the two of them decide to head to a maternity shop not too far from Libby's and Mike's and look for one. When they get there, they find a wide variety of swim suits and Kono sits in a chair in the back of the dressing room while Sam tries several on.)

"This was a great idea, Kono. I can't believe I hadn't thought of getting a maternity swim suit before now."

"Hey, it took me until my seventh month to figure it out. Swimming's good exercise and the more exercise you get now the easier labor and delivery will be on you. Are you still going to those pregnancy exercise classes Lt. Cmdr. Denning recommended?"

"I am. I'm all for making labor and delivery as easy as possible. Kono?"

"Yeah?"

"I've decided that I'm going to try and nurse McBaby. I've talked with Lt. Cmdr. Denning about it and I've done a lot of research, and I want to do it."

"I'm glad, Sam. I think it'll be a wonderful experience for you. How are you really doing? I mean, you look great and I haven't really heard you complaining about anything, but all the changes a woman's body goes through during pregnancy can take a toll on you sometimes."

"Actually, I feel the best I've ever felt in my life. I know some women have a really hard time during pregnancy, but I'm totally loving this."

"Good. I had a cousin who threw up almost twenty-four/seven/three sixty-five the whole time she was pregnant. Poor thing was miserable and so was her husband."

"That's awful! Were she and the baby okay?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, she delivered a nine pound baby who was healthy as a horse."

"That's good."

(And then Sam starts to giggle.)

"What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking about some of the changes in my body. Steve likes one of them in particular; _a lot_!"

"Let me guess . . . You're a size bigger."

"So far. At the rate I'm going, I may be two sizes bigger by the time McBaby gets here."

"Yeah, and you'll stay that way as long as you're nursing. Funny, I had Steve figured for a 'legs' man."

"Steve's a healthy, red-bloodied man, Kono, he's an 'everything' man!"

(And the two young women go off into peals of laughter. Sam finally finds a peach-colored maternity swim suit that fits well, is very comfortable, and looks very attractive on her and the two young women are soon on their way back to the Thrasher's. They arrive just as Libby is announcing that lunch is ready, and are still giggling as they fill their plates and sit down on the back deck to eat. . .

The rest of the day is spent out on the deck or down at the beach and Grace Williams is totally running the show. She is particularly delighted when her Aunt Sam goes swimming with her and they frolic and play in the water until Libby announces they need to get changed and ready to start dinner. Sam has noticed that her father seems to have been somewhat distracted all day, and, after changing back into her favorite pair of denim maternity shorts with a sleeveless, white-eyelet top, Sam asks him to talk a walk on the beach with her while everyone else pitches in to cook dinner. They have walked about a half mile down the beach and are returning to the house when Mike finally admits what's bother him.)

"All right, Sam, we've been walking for quite some time now and I've figured out that you're trying to subtly interrogate me."

"Well, Dad, you've had something on your mind all day, and I was just wondering what was bothering you."

"While I'm glad our boys were able to accomplish their mission and will be home soon, don't you think things went just a little too easily?"

"Actually, Dad, I did, but I choose to believe that this was just one of those times when all the pieces fell into place without any hitches."

"Maybe. Still, I won't rest easy until those boys are back home, safe and sound."

"Neither will I, Dad. I'd give anything if Steve were here right now and I won't be completely at ease until I see him."

"Sam."

"Hmm?"

"You can rest easy, Honey."

(And Sam looks up at her father with a questioning expression on her face and follows his line of sight. Striding down the beach from the house is her husband, dressed in BDUs and wearing a huge grin. A huge smile breaks out on Sam's face and she quickens her step until Steve has grabbed her in a tight hug and is kissing her senseless. Mike, an understanding smile on his face, simply walks right on by his daughter and son-in-law and heads back up the stairs to the house.) 


	47. Chapter 47

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 27, 2011**

(Sam completely melts in her husband's strong arms and loses herself in their kiss. Completely unable to help herself, she feels tears escape her closed eyes as her senses drink in the feel and taste of the man she loves. When Steve lifts his head, he gently wipes the two teardrops that have escaped from her face and looks down at her with such love that, much to her consternation, a couple of more tears leak out.)

"Steve, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

"I decided not to wait to interrogate Alexei Kasavich. Once I was through, there was no reason for us to stay in Afghanistan, so we caught the first helo to Ramstein and then flew home. I couldn't stay away from you another second, Sam. I had to have you in my arms again. I love you so much, Sweetheart."

"God, Steve, I love you more that I ever thought I could love someone. I missed you so much. Thank God you're home."

"And just in time for dinner according to my mother-in-law."

"What is wrong with me? You probably haven't eaten in hours."

"Yeah, Sam, I'm starving."

"Well, then, let's go up to the house so you can eat."

"Sam, I'm not hungry."

"But you just said. . . "

"That's right, Sweetheart, I'm starving for _you_. I want to make love to you, Sam; so badly I can hardly think straight."

"Then stop thinking and let's go. 'Course, my mother's going to have a fit if you don't eat dinner."

"Yeah, I figured that out, but we _are _just as soon as we can. I've been thinking about you and me naked and in our bed the entire trip home."

"Oh my God, let's tell Mom that you're tired and just go home."

(Steve loves the way Sam's voice gets all breathy and her pupils dilate when she gets all hot and bothered, and both those things are definitely happening at the moment. He grins broadly as he looks down at his wife's beautiful face because she's also slightly flushed and he knows that all anyone else is going to have to do is take one look at her and they're going to be so busted.)

"Sam, you might want to remember that there's a whole house full of people waiting for us, including your parents, and I don't think you want them to see you looking like . . Well, like you want to rip my clothes off and have your wicked way with me."

"But I _do_ want to rip your clothes off and have my wicked way with you, Steve. In fact, if I thought we could get away with it without being arrested, I'd do it Right. This. Very. Second."

(Now it's Steve's turn to flush, and he grabs her hand, which has been moving steadily toward his groin, and kisses her fingers as he tries to get a grip. Sam just looks up at him with a wicked, little smile on her face.)

"Now who's all hot and bothered, hmmm?"

"I have news for you, Sweetheart; I've been all hot and bothered for you since the day I met you."

(Danny's voice floats down to them.)

"Hey, are you two going to stay out there all night? Libby says we can't eat until the two of you get here, so how about hauling yourselves up those stairs?"

"On our way, Danny. . . Remember what I said, Sam; we're leaving just as soon as possible after dinner and I don't care who thinks we're being rude."

"I'll kill the first person who dares to open their mouth, Sailor. . . I love you, Steve, and I'm so thankful that you're back home."

"Me, too, Sam. I missed you and McBaby."

(And just as Steve leans down to give the baby a kiss, Danny's blonde head reappears on the deck above them.)

"Hey! Some of us want to eat before midnight, thank you very much!"

"Danny, I'm so gonna' kill you when I get up there!"

"Yeah? Bring it, boy wonder."

(But Steve just grins and drops a quick kiss on Sam's forehead before taking her hand and heading toward the stairs. Sam, reveling in the feel of Steve's strong, warm hand on hers, just giggles as they head up the stairs. Danny is waiting for them at the top of the stairs and gives them an appraising look.)

"You two might want to wipe that lust off your faces before you go inside. I mean, everyone's going to know exactly what you two have on your minds the second you walk through that door, but my daughter's in there, too, and I don't want to have to explain to her why her Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve both have these goofy looks on their faces. Okay. I'm going tell everyone you two will be in shortly."

(But not even Danny's teasing can erase the raw desire shining in Sam's eyes and reflected in Steve's, and he pulls her tightly to him again as he takes her mouth in a slow, deep kiss that causes her knees to go weak.)

"Do we really have to go in there and eat, Sam?"

"I'm pretty sure we'd be forgiven if we just, you know, went home."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Mom can't stay mad forever."

"And I did just get back from 'the Stan'."

"There is that."

(And this time it's Sam who grabs him and pulls him down for another long kiss.)

"Know what, Steve? I don't care if Mom gets mad or not."

"Me, either."

(Another serious kiss.)

"Still, I don't want to upset Libby."

"She's a SEAL's wife, too, Steve. She'll understand."

"You sure?"

(But the decision is taken care of for them as Mike steps out on the deck, hands Sam her purse, and pats Steve on the shoulder.)

"Your mother said tell you she'll save you some chocolate cake. Night."


	48. Chapter 48

**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 27, 2011**

(Once they're all sitting down to dinner, Grace realizes that Sam and Steve aren't there and looks around the table at all the adults who seem not the least bit bothered by the McGarrett's absence. Grace, of course, doesn't like this one bit.)

"Where are Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve?"

"They went home, Monkey. Uncle Steve was tired after his long trip."

"But they didn't say 'bye', Danno!"

"Uncle Steve was _really_ tired, Grace."

"But they've never left without saying 'bye' before!"

"Your Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve love you very much, Gracie, but Uncle Steve was very, very tired."

(Of course, Danny promptly snorts at Libby's words earning himself a kick in his right shin from his wife and the left shin from his mother-in-law. Glancing rapidly back and forth between the two women, he does his best to stifle a bark of pain that desperately wants out of his mouth. Mike looks over at his son-in-law with near disbelief on his face.)

"You knew better than that didn't you, Son?"

"Gracie, would you like to feed Eric?"

"Wow, can I, Kono?"

"Of course, you can, Sweetie. Let me warm up his bottle while Tony gets the two of you settled."

(Libby sends Kono a look of relieved thanks over the top of Grace's head and Tony makes sure Grace is sitting comfortably in the chair next to his before placing the baby in her arms and putting a cloth diaper under the baby's chin. Kono brings a bottle over and resumes her seat on the other side of Grace and the little girl is soon so preoccupied with feeding baby Eric that she's forgotten all about Sam and Steve. Danny, in the meanwhile, is reaching down every so often to rub first one shin and then the other, and wisely keeps his mouth shut for the remainder of dinner. . .

Sam and Steve make it from her car to the house in record time and Steve turns the deadbolt with one hand while pulling Sam to him with the other and kissing her hard and quick. Sweeping her up into his strong arms, Steve starts up the stairs to their bedroom and his mouth finds hers again as her arms slide around his neck and her pulse rate kicks up several notches. By the time Steve places Sam gently on their bed and lies down next to her they are both breathing heavily and Sam's hands are frantically pushing the shirt from Steve's muscular chest. Moving faster than he would have thought possible, Sam has Steve on his back and has straddled him while placing soft kisses all over his chest and then using her teeth to gently nip the corded muscles in his neck and shoulder while her hands work on getting his pants off. Not wanting his wife to have all the fun, Steve forces her hands away from his pants long enough to pull her shirt over her head and deftly releases the clasp on her bra. When her full breasts spill out into his eager hands and he grazes her nipples with his thumbs, Sam sucks in a harsh breath and her passion-glazed eyes lock with his. The heat and desire she sees in Steve's stormy eyes cause her to shiver in anticipation as she finally gets his pants unzipped and shifts off of him so he can get rid of the offending garment. Once he's accomplished that task, Steve pulls Sam's shorts from her body, and then. . . Then, he leans over and kisses her softly and sweetly and stops to take a few moments to just look down into her beautiful face and feels himself drowning in the liquid pools of her emerald green eyes. Gently stroking the side of her face with one hand, Steve feels moisture fill his eyes as he thinks about the mission he's just returned from and the fact that he could have died at any time. The thought of never again being able to look into his wife's beautiful eyes, or touch her soft, smooth skin, or taste her full, ripe lips of lose himself inside of her when they're making love nearly overwhelms him and he quickly sends up a prayer of thanks for this remarkable woman, for being able to return safely to her, and for their child now growing inside of her. Almost reverently, he places a soft kiss on her rounded abdomen and one of his large hands gently rubs over their baby. Looking back up at Sam's face, Steve experiences a rush of fierce protectiveness and knows that he would willingly die before allowing any harm to come to Sam or their baby.)

"I love you, Sam, you and our baby. I swear to you that I will never, as long as I have breath in my body, allow anyone or anything to hurt either one of you. I will keep you both safe and protect you with my life."

"I know you will, Steve. I've never doubted that. I need you to promise me something."

"Anything, Sam."

"I know that your job can be dangerous; I know that you might have take command of a SEAL team again, I know that . . . Just swear to me, Steve, that you will do everything you possibly can to be careful no matter where you are or what you're doing. Swear to me that you won't take any unnecessary chances. I can't live without you, Steve; it's just that simple."

"I promise, Sam."

(And with those words, Steve kisses Sam so softly and sweetly that her heart feels like it's going to explode with love for this man. She shifts and Steve understands what she wants so he rolls to his back allowing Sam to straddle him again. Only this time, Sam captures Steve's eyes with hers and keeps her gaze locked with his as she slowly slides down on his erection until he's fully inside her. Sam grasps Steve's wrists and pins them to the bed beside his head as she slowly begins to move ever so slowly causing his breath to hitch; her eyes never leaving his. Sam increases her pace ever so slightly and fuses her mouth to his so that their tongues are mimicking the movements of their bodies. Steve is dying to put his hands on Sam and touch her while she's making love to him, but he also understands that he needs to do this _her_ way so he lies perfectly still understanding that he will know when she's ready for him to be a more active participant. He doesn't have to wait long. Very soon, Sam pushes herself straight up with her hands resting on Steve's muscular chest, throws her head back, closes her eyes, and her moans of pleasure are nearly Steve's undoing. God, but she's beautiful and the sight of her in the throes of her first release hit him hard. Grabbing her hips, Steve begins thrusting up and into to her as passionately as he dares. Even in the midst of their lovemaking, he still has the presence of mind to think of their baby. He feels her tightening around him and knows she's close again and this time he goes with her; putting his arms around her and holding her close when she collapses on top of him into a boneless mass. Still mindful of her baby bump, he shifts so they are lying side by side and kisses her deeply, lovingly and wraps her in his strong arms as they both drift off to sleep.)


	49. Chapter 49

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 27, 2011**

(Sam is floating in a highly-sensitized state of sensual awareness at 0930 the next morning when Steve's cellular phone rings. Steve has just made love to her for the third time since they got home the night before, and her nerves are pleasantly humming as she stretches like a cat next to her grinning husband. She takes the opportunity to let her gaze rake over her husband's muscular, and gloriously naked, body when he turns over to retrieve his cellular phone from his bedside table. Sending a "it's Gracie" over his shoulder along with one of his trademark sexy, little grins, Steve hits the button to answer the call.)

"Good morning, Gracie."

"Good morning, Uncle Steve. I just wanted to call and let you and Aunt Sam know that you're both in a lot of trouble."

"We are? What'd we do?"

"It's what you didn't do, and what you didn't do is tell me goodbye before you left Grandma's and Grandpa's last night."

"Oops. I was really tired last night, and I wanted to come home and spend some time with Aunt Sam, Sweetie."

"I know you were tired, Uncle Steve, but you and Aunt Sam have never, ever forgotten to tell me goodbye. You hurt my feelings, Uncle Steve."

"Oh, Gracie, I'm so sorry! Aunt Sam and I wouldn't deliberately hurt your feelings for anything in the world, Sweetheart! What can we do to make it up to you?"

(Steve has been holding the phone so that Sam can hear Gracie's end of the conversation, and the hurt in Gracie's little voice is causing them both to feel guilty.)

"You could go sailing with me and Grandma and Grandpa today. You're all rested now, aren't you?"

(And just like that, the note of hurt in Grace's voice has changed to one of "aha! Gotcha now!", and neither Sam nor Steve can keep from smiling. Sam nods at Steve and he says the words that make Grace's day.)

"Yes, Gracie, I'm all rested now, and Aunt Sam and I would love to go sailing with you guys. What time should we meet you at the marina?"

"Hang on. . Grandpa, Uncle Steve wants to know what time they should meet us at the marina! . . "

(Sam and Steve can hear scuffling sounds in the background and realize that Grace is taking the phone to Mike, and, sure enough, his amused voice comes over the phone a moment later.)

"Sent you on a little guilt trip, did she?"

"She's tough, Mike."

"That she is. How about the two you meet us at the Marina at say, 1100 hours. We'll have an early lunch and then head out."

"We can do that. Want us to head on down there and get the boat ready?"

"Nope, Gracie and I have everything under control. We've been down here at the boat since 0800, and tell Sam Libby's bringing her swimsuit."

(After Steve ends the call with Mike and returns his cellular phone to the bedside table, he turns back towards Sam to find her looking up at him with an expression of contentment on her face and can't help but smile.)

"You, Mrs. McGarrett, look like the cat that got the lion's share of the cream."

"I'm just really happy, Steve. You managed to avert a terrorist attack on Honolulu, you're back home safe and sound, we're having a baby, we have a wonderful family, and you love me. I'm happier than I've ever been, and as long as I have you I'll always be happy."

"Me, too, Beautiful. Forever and always."

(Sam and Steve meet Libby, Mike, and Grace at the marina for lunch and then they take the Thrasher's boat out for the afternoon. Libby is busy down in the galley and Grace and Mike seem to have everything under control, so Sam and Steve move to the bow of the boat and make themselves comfortable on the forward deck pad. They are sitting close to one another and Steve's arm is around Sam, her head is on his shoulder, and they simply enjoy the feeling of sunlight and cool breeze on their faces as the boat cuts through the water. Grace, standing in front of Mike at the wheel on the step stool that's there specifically for her looks at Sam and Steve and then back over her shoulder at her Grandfather and rolls her eyes."

"Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve sure do like to get all sugary don't they, Grandpa?"

"Yes, they do, Grace."

"Mom and Danno like to get all sugary, too."

"Is that so?"

"Do you and Grandma get all sugary?"

(_That_ comment gets Mike's attention.)

"All married couples get , um, 'all sugary' as you call it, Grace."

"Then how come I've never seen you? Look, Uncle Steve has his arm around Aunt Sam and her head is on his shoulder. And Mom and Danno hold hands all the time or Danno has his arm around Mom's waist. Even Stan puts his arm around Mommy sometimes, but the only time I've seen you put your arm around Grandma was the night of Uncle Steve's birthday party. So, do you and Grandma get all sugary?"

(And Mike Thrasher, an Admiral in the United States Navy Reserve, former active duty Navy SEAL, the man who just successfully ran a major spec ops mission that thwarted a terrorist attack on the city of Honolulu is reduced to being speechless by his nine year old granddaughter. He hears Libby starting up from down below and moves closer to the ladder.)

"Well, Grandpa, do you?"

(And just as Libby reaches the top of the ladder and steps out onto the deck, Mike does the first thing that pops into his head: He grabs his wife, pulls her into his arms, and kisses her. After just a moment of confusion, Libby puts her arms around his neck and kisses him back, and Grace starts smiling.)

"Aunt Sam, Uncle Steve, Grandma and Grandpa are getting all sugary!"

(And Sam and Steve turn around and both start grinning when they see her parents and, naturally, they have to get in on the fun, too. Grace just rolls her eyes and decides that she's never, ever going to get all sugary with a boy because it apparently makes grown ups act silly.)


	50. Chapter 50

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 28, 2011**

(Libby smiles up at her husband when he lifts his head from hers and is somewhat surprised to see that he looks a little rattled. Glancing toward the front of the boat, she sees Sam and Steve cuddling and laughing softly, and then sees Grace, hands on the wheel holding the boat steady and on course, looking from Sam and Steve and then back to her and Mike. She is even more surprised when Mike clears his throat and sends a slight frown in their granddaughter's direction.)

"Well, young lady, did that answer your question?"

"It sure did, Grandpa; you and Grandma get all sugary like everybody else."

"What is going on out here, Mike?"

"Our granddaughter happened to mention that our daughters and sons-in-law get 'all sugary' all the time and we don't so I thought I'd show her we could smooch with the best of them."

"What's 'smooch', Grandpa?"

"Why don't you go ask Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve, Sweetie? I'm sure they'll explain it to you. I've got the boat."

(Grace dutifully makes her way forward while Libby puts her hands on her hips and frowns at her husband.)

"Michael Thrasher, you should be ashamed of yourself putting Sam and Steve on the spot like that!"

"They're about to have a baby of their own, Libby; the practice will do them good."

(Grace promptly proceeds to plop down and squirm her way between Sam and Steve and looks up at them with a totally innocent expression on her face.)

"Aunt Sam, what's 'smooching'?"

"Uh, it means kissing, Nugget."

"Oh."

"Where'd you hear that word, Gracie?"

"Grandpa. He said he and Grandma could 'smooch with the best of them'."

"Ah."

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"Why do grown ups like to smooch?"

"Um, well, because . . . You know what? Why don't you ask Danno?"

"Danno's not here, Uncle Steve."

"I know that, Gracie, but I think you should wait and ask Danno."

"But, Uncle Steve . . . "

"Gracie, the baby's kicking again. Come here."

(Steve sends a grateful glance in Sam's direction for her quick thinking and, this time, it totally works; Grace is distracted by the baby and completely forgets about her conversation with Steve. They manage to avoid the topic for the remainder of the day and, by the time they get back to the marina, Grace has completely forgotten all about 'smooching'. Libby and Mike volunteer to take Grace back to Rachel's once they've docked, and Sam and Steve make sure to tell Gracie goodbye before heading home themselves. The following morning Sam and Steve fall right back into their usual routine with Steve making breakfast while Sam's getting dressed and they leave the house together. Steve is in an excellent mood when he walks into the Five-0 offices; his op was successful, he's back home with his wife, and all is right with his world. That is, until he sets foot in his office. Within thirty seconds, Danny is in Steve's office and off on one of his famous rants.)

"If you're through playing toy soldier for a while, we have some things you need to do around here, Pineapple Boy. 'Course, if you think you need another few days to rest up from your little vacation, please, by all means go ahead and take them. Wouldn't want you to be overly tired or anything."

"Are you done?"

"For the moment."

"What the Hell is wrong with you, Danny? 'Toy Solider'?"

"Me? What's wrong with me? And, yes, Toy Soldier!"

"What's your problem?"

"Nothing. Except for the fact that I spent over an hour on the phone with Rachel last night trying to convince her that I knew _nothing_ about why Grace wanted to know about 'smooching' and why you wouldn't explain it to her!"

"Rachel got upset about that?"

"No, boy genius, Rachel did not get upset about that. _I_ got upset about that! What the Hell were you thinking talking to Grace about 'smooching'?"

"I didn't talk to Gracie about 'smooching'! I told her to talk to _you_ about it!"

"And just how did my daughter even know what the word meant?"

"Ask our father-in-law!"

"Ohhh! Now you're going to blame it on Mike? That is so typical of you, Mr. Shoot First and Think About the Consequences Later!"

"Mike brought it up! And what's the problem with Gracie knowing what 'smooching' means in the first place, you moron? She's nine and she'd damned well better learn about things like that before she gets much older!"

"Your child isn't even here yet and you know everything there is to know about being a parent!"

"Didn't say that!" 

"Didn't have to!"

"I don't know anything about it!"

"About what?"

"About Gracie and 'smooching', you idiot!"

"Grace was 'smooching? My daughter was kissing some boy?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why did you say she was?"

"I didn't!"

"Just what exactly went on yesterday when you were supposed to be supervising my daughter?"

"Nothing!"

"Nothing! Nothing! Then why did she go home and tell Rachel about all the 'smooching' going on?"

"What 'smooching'?

"On. The. Damned. Boat, you imbecile!"

"There was no 'smooching' going on!"

"Then why did she say there was?"

"Danny, I think you seriously need help!"

"_I need help?_ I'm not the one who was 'smooching' in front of my daughter!"

"Oh, like you and Caroline don't do it in front of her all the time!"

"Aha! So you admit you were doing it!"

"Doing what?"

"I'm gonna kill you!"

"For what?"

(Chin and Kono are standing just outside Steve's office door with their arms crossed in front of them looking on with grins on their faces.)

"Should we go in there and separate the children?"

"Nah. Let's just watch. They haven't had a good argument in a while."

"Okay. Ten bucks says Danny gets red in the face in another five minutes."

"Make it twenty. Steve's going to pop a blood vessel in less than three."

"Done."


	51. Chapter 51

**CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 28, 2011**

(Danny, hands flying around wildly while he rants, paces back and forth in front of Steve's desk where Steve is leaning with his arms and ankles crossed and a fierce scowl on his face. After a moment in which Danny stops and takes a deep breath, he tries again in a much softer voice.)

"Let's start over."

"Fine."

"Who was on the boat yesterday?"

"Me, Sam, Libby, Mike, and Gracie."

"Okay. Who was 'smooching' on the boat?"

"Libby and Mike. . . And, me and Sam."

"I _knew_ it! Is that _all_ you did?"

"What kind of question is that, Danny? Of course that's all we did!"

"Well, you never know with you, boy wonder!"

"Really? You think that I. . . That we. . . "

"If the shoe fits . . ."

"Unbelievable!"

"You just admitted you were 'smooching' in front of Grace!"

"_Kissing_, Danny! I kissed my wife!"

"Still!"

"Oh, you've never kissed _your_ wife in front of Grace?"

"What the Hell kind of question is that? Of course, I've kissed Caroline in front of Grace!"

"Well, okay, then!"

"It's not the same thing, Steven!"

"Why not?"

"It just isn't!"

"Yes, it is! You're her parents, we're her aunt and uncle, and Libby and Mike are her grandparents!"

"You're . . . Right."

(And, just like that, Danny completely loses his desire to argue, turns around and starts to walk out of Steve's office.)

"Hey! Aren't you going to apologize?"

"For what?"

"_DANNY!"_

(But Danny blithely saunters out the door and heads to his own office leaving Steve to frown darkly before throwing his hands up in the air and walking around to sit in his desk chair. Kono and Chin, somewhat disappointed that neither of them won their bet, head back to their own offices as well since the fireworks are over for the moment. Steve does have some paperwork to catch up on so he applies himself to that task and has just finished the last of it when his desk phone rings. A few minutes later, he sticks his head in Kono's office and tells her he's headed upstairs to the Governor's office. As he is waiting for the elevator, he remembers that the last time he went to her office, he learned he was begin recalled to active duty and sent to the Middle East. Hoping that's not the case this time, he walks into the waiting area and her secretary tells him to go right in to her private office. Gov. Jameson is sitting behind her desk and, although she offers him a small smile when she indicates he should be seated, he senses she is disturbed by something.)

"Good morning, Commander. Glad to have you back."

"Thank you, Ma'am; it's good to be back."

"Steve, I can't thank you enough for what you did in Jalalabad. I know it was difficult for you, and for Sam, but it seems you really were the best man for the job. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate your efforts."

"You're welcome, Governor, but I have a feeling that's not why you wanted to see me."

"No, it isn't. There's going to be a special celebration next month at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial for the survivors and their families; an unscheduled celebration. Due to the recent deaths of several of the survivors, they've decided to get together before they lose any more of their number. The Vice-President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Advisor, along with several U.S. Senators and Representatives will be on hand for the occasion. I want you to personally coordinate with the Secret Service to make sure we have all our bases covered. The lead agent's name is Mark Andrews and these are his office and cellular numbers. I don't want anyone making an assassination attempt on my island, Commander, so make sure your team is on top of this."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Your grandfather died on the Arizona, didn't he, Commander?"

"Yes, Ma'am. He's entombed inside the ship."

"I'm sure Cmdr. McGarrett is getting this same information this morning, although I daresay her briefing will be a little more detailed. We'll be coordinating with your wife and Adm. Henderson at Pearl on this, as well. If I get any more information, I'll pass it on to you immediately, but I have a feeling you're going to be the one keeping me in the loop."

(At that precise moment, Adm. Henderson is knocking on Sam's door frame and has a seat when she looks up with a smile and invites him to sit down.)

"Good morning, Sir. What can I do for you?"

"Two things, Commander. First, I'm aware of the request you made of Adm. Harte when your husband deployed, and I wanted to let you know that I've taken care of it."

"Sir, that's. . . Thank you, Admiral. I can't tell you what this means to me."

"It's not a problem, Sam. Now, as to the second item on my agenda . . ."

(And he proceeds to give Sam the same information the Governor gave Steve. Sam immediately goes into op mode and she suggests they bring Tony in on the planning for the celebration, as well. And then, Sam makes a request of Adm. Henderson. The man just looks at her, shakes his head and smiles broadly as he makes a mental note to call Mike Thrasher and tell him that his daughter isn't afraid of a thing and is one Hell of an Officer. After agreeing with Sam that she has a fine idea and he will take care of that, as well, the Admiral leaves his second in command to get started on the preparations for the celebration.)


	52. Chapter 52

**CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 28, 2011**

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Wow! I'm bowled over by all the wonderful reviews and private messages I've received for this story so far. You guys are completely awesome! I've tried to incorporate as many of your suggestions as possible into the story thus far, and I will continue to do so if you'll send them to me. This story is not over; far from it! There's more fun, drama, love, and, yes, "smooching" on the way, but I'd really like to hear from all of YOU what you'd like to see happen. I also have an idea brewing in the back of my mind for the next story and I think you'll all like it, too, but that's later on down the road. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing; I love hearing from you and I write for YOUR entertainment! Michelle**

(Allen Henderson heads straight back to his office and calls Mike Thrasher.)

"Hello, Allen."

"Mike. You know, I realize that Sam McGarrett is your adopted daughter and that didn't happen until she was seventeen, but you and Libby have done a remarkable job with that young lady."

"I appreciate that, Allen, but don't forget that Jonathan and Anne Murdock raised her the first part of her life. She's definitely her father's daughter."

"I'd say she's a credit to _both_ of her fathers; and let's not leave Libby and Anne out, either. The way Sam handled herself with the other SEALs' wives was outstanding. I'm sure you and Libby and Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett are extremely proud of her. Let me fill you in on what she asked of me not ten minutes ago and did it without batting an eyelash."

(And Adm. Henderson proceeds to recap his conversation with Sam not realizing that his comment touched Mike deeply and he's having a " Daddy moment" while he listens. When he's through singing Sam's praises, he fills Mike in on the celebration and asks Mike to assist him. Of course, Mike is only too happy to agree, and the two men are soon immersed in a discussion of the event. . .

Steve has finished filling his team in on the upcoming celebration and they start to lay out a basic plan of action on which they can build as they incorporate information from Pearl and the Secret Service. Chin, computer expert extraordinaire that he is, already has several ideas tearing through his brain and, after briefly expressing his ideas to his cousin, he and Kono get to work on developing a network outline. While they're doing that, Steve heads into his office to call the lead Secret Service agent, Mark Andrews, and Danny follows him and drops down into a chair. Steve, still a little wary of Danny after his earlier rant, eyes his brother-in-law somewhat cautiously.)

"I, um, I just wanted to say that maybe I got a little carried away earlier. I mean, I know that you and Sam and Mike and Libby wouldn't do or say anything inappropriate in front of Grace. I just. . ."

"Danny, Gracie is a beautiful, precious little girl and I know you love her very much. All of us love her very much and we'd all love nothing more than to see her live a fairytale life, but you and I both know that life just doesn't work that way. She's nine, and right now, we can all definitely protect her from all of life's big hurts and some of the little ones, but, eventually, we're going to have to let her go; _you're_ _going to have to let her go._ All too soon, Grace is going to grow up and you and me and Chin and Tony and Mike are going to be glaring constantly at every boy who even looks in her direction let alone directly at her, but we can't put her in a glass cage, Danny. We can teach Grace what's right and what's wrong and try to head her in the right direction, and I personally think that she's got some really great examples to follow, but, in the end, when all is said and done; Gracie is going to have to make decisions for herself. It's her life, Danny, and, eventually, you're going to have to let her live it her way."

(Steve is not the least bit surprised to see moisture gather in Danny's eyes and realizes that Danny's earlier rant was really just his way of venting his frustration that his daughter _is_ growing up and he's not ready for that to happen. Danny stands up, shoves his hands in his pockets, and looks down at his feet a moment before looking back up at Steve and swiping at his eyes with one hand; his expression completely sincere.)

"You're going to be a great father, Steve, and you're a good friend. . . And, . So, okay, being related to you is _not_ the end of the world, but, if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll have to kill you."

(And Steve just grins as Danny, his usual smart-assed attitude and swagger firmly back in place, saunters out of Steve's office. Picking up his desk phone, Steve quickly punches in the cellular number for Mark Andrews and waits for the man to pick up.


	53. Chapter 53

**CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 28, 2011**

(Sam and Tony have also been busy with at the base concentrating primarily on identifying the strengths and weaknesses in base security since they're expecting so many VIPs for the celebration. They have taken over the conference room at Flight Ops and have maps and schematics for security systems spread out on the conference room table, and Sam, because of her baby bump, is having a little bit of a hard time leaning over to look more closely at some things. Finally, the fourth time she has this problem, she plops down in a chair and frowns in frustration.)

"This is utterly ridiculous. Don't we have these things on CD-ROMs?"

"We do."

"You know what? We need a Command Center, Lieutenant, and since Adm. Henderson put me in charge of this op, I'm declaring the large conference room in the SEALs' building as our Command Center/CIC. Load everything onto the secure computers over there and clear me some desk space in your office, Lieutenant. I'm going to call Steve and see about getting them networked."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

(And Tony smiles as he watches Sam walk out the door and back toward her office. He has no doubt that in fifteen minutes or less, he'll be getting a call from his cousin-in-law about setting up a secure connection between their computers and Five-0's. When Cmdr. McGarrett sets her mind to something, she gets it done; no whining, pouting, or excuses allowed. . .

Sam calls Steve's cellular phone but it goes to voicemail so she hits the speed dial for Danny.)

"Yo, Sis, what's up?"

" 'Yo, Sis'?"

"Sorry. I assume you're calling about the thing at the Arizona next month?"

"You assumed correctly. Where's Steve?"

"On the phone with the Secret Service and he has the aneurysm face."

"That would be because the Secret Service is most likely telling him that neither H.P.D. nor Five-0 will be needed on this op except to run license plates in the parking lot at Turtle Bay Resort."

"That's on the other side of the island from the Arizona Memorial, Sam."

"Exactly."

"You've worked with the Secret Service before."

"Oh, yeah, and they definitely do not like local LEOs even if they do happen to work exclusively for the Governor."

"Guess they're going to have to make an exception this time." 

"If they're smart they will, but this Mark Andrews doesn't appear to be too smart."

"And you know that how?"

"Because he left a message for me with Adm. Henderson's secretary _informing_ me he would be in touch later in the week to _explain the way base security would be handled_."

"So glad I'm not Mark Andrews; so, _so_ glad."

"Ask Steve to call me when he gets through stroking out, please, and may I talk with Chin?"

"I will and yes, you may. Hang on."

"Hey, Sam."

"Chin, how hard would it be to network your computers with ours?"

"Shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay. Call Tony when you're ready to do it; he should be ready on this end."

"No problem."

"Thanks, Chin."

(Sam has just reached her office when her cellular phone rings and it's Steve's name and number that pop up.)

"Hey, Sailor."

"Have you talked with this guy?"

"Who? Andrews?"

"Yeah."

"Nope. He left a message saying he'd get with me later in the week. Guess I'm not as important as you are."

"He didn't call me, Sam; I called him. Which is a good thing because, if I'd waited for him to call me, I'd be in line behind you! He actually told me we didn't need to worry about a thing; said his people, _none_ of whom are in Hawaii, have ever lived in Hawaii, probably never been to Hawaii, had everything under control and he'd call us back if he needed our input!"

"Hello? Not the enemy, here."

"Sorry."

"Wow, this Andrews must be something if he got to you."

"He's something, all right. He's a pompous, arrogant, full of himself know it all who _thinks_ he's going to come in here and call all the shots."

"C'mon, Steve, tell me what you really think."

"Are you listening to me, Sam? This guy basically told me that not only were we not needed, but we weren't wanted."

"I get that, Steve, but I can't believe you're getting all bent out of shape over this. This is your island and my base, and don't think for one second _I'm _going to allow a Secret Service agent who doesn't know the first thing about international terrorism to come in here and take over. I'll kick his six all the way back to Washington if he tries to screw with me!"

"That's my girl . . . Wait, _you're_ base, Sam? What happened to Adm. Henderson?"

"He put me in charge of this op, Steve, so yeah, you're damned straight it's my base! Listen, I've got Tony in on this, too, and we're setting up a Command Center/CIC in the large conference room in the SEALs' building for this op. I've talked to Chin and he said it shouldn't be a problem to network our computers with yours so I was thinking we could use that set-up from now up until just before the celebration ceremony. At that point, we move you guys out here with us until all the VIPs are wheels up. Logistically, it makes sense because we'll all be geographically closer to the actual sight of the ceremony as well as the airfield where the VIPs will be landing and taking off, so we decrease their exposure and increase our visibility, plus the base itself is more secure than the Palace. Anything you want to add?"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am?"

"Stop being a smart-ass, Steve, I'm asking if this op plan meets with your approval so far!"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am."

"It's going to be a long month."


	54. Chapter 54

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 29, 2011**

(The day finally comes to an end for everyone and they are all glad to leave their offices and head home. Kono, who worked a little later than usual helping Chin with the computer set-up, smiles when she walks in the house to find Tony sitting on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table and holding Eric. Tony is watching one of the news channels and is having a conversation with their son.)

"So that's why Mommy's late tonight, little buddy. What's that? . . She's here? Really? . . You're right, there's Mommy. Let's go give her a big kiss."

(But Kono has made it to the sofa and sits down next to Tony and takes the baby from him before getting her welcome home kiss from her husband. Tony's arm goes around his wife's shoulders as she makes silly noises at the baby and a feeling of complete contentment settles over him. He could sit right here with his wife and son from now on and be happy from the rest of his life.)

"You mom said to remind you that she's going out of town next week so your cousin Kelani was watching the baby."

"Yeah, I know. . . Tony?"

"Yeah, K?"

"I know my mom said she wanted to watch Eric when we were working, but I think maybe we should look into finding a regular sitter or day care."

"Your mother's awesome, K."

"I know she is, but it's not fair to her. I mean, my folks like to travel and it's hard for them to do that if they have Eric all the time."

"Okay, but you can be the one to tell your mother, and what do you want to do?"

"Well, Sam and Steve are looking into the day care on base and I was thinking maybe we could, too. Steve said Sam wanted the baby close to her and the day care's only a few minutes away from Flight Ops and your building, as well."

"Did Steve say if he or Sam had discussed that with Libby, yet?"

"C'mon, Tony, you know Libby will have that baby any time she wants. . . I kind of like the idea of Eric being close to one of us. Besides, he'll have a playmate once McBaby gets here."

"Okay, we can go check out the base day care, K; just make sure you have that talk with your mom. I wouldn't hurt my mother-in-law's feelings for anything in the world, and I know you wouldn't, either, but you're going to have to tread very carefully here."

"I'll just tell her exactly what Sam's going to tell Libby; she's more than welcome to have the baby anytime she wants him, but, when she has something to do, he'll be at day care."

(Chin gets home to find that Lana, who had the day off, has dinner just about ready and gets his hand slapped lightly as he reaches into a bowl of salad and pulls a cherry tomato out and pops it into his mouth.)

"Hey!"

"Don't you dare stand there and pick things out of the salad bowl, Chin Ho Kelly! That is beyond rude!"

"You just have a phobia about germs."

"Hello? I'm a nurse, so, yeah I have a BIG phobia about germs. You didn't even wash your hands before you stuck one down in that bowl of salad!"

"Sorry. How was your day?"

"I cleaned the house, did laundry, went grocery shopping, came home and cooked dinner."

"That doesn't sound like a lot of fun."

"I work in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Chin. Trust me, everything I did today was a lot more fun than I usually have."

"Yeah, you know, I sometimes forget just how high-pressure your job is sometimes, Lana. I'm sorry, Honey."

"It's okay."

"No, Lana, actually it's not. You don't talk about your work very often and I know that has a lot to do with privacy issues, but, you know, I am your husband, and I'm always here for you if you ever to want to talk; about anything."

"I know that. Same goes for you, too. How was your day?"

"Started off with a bang. Steve and Danny entertained me and Kono with one of their famous arguments first thing this morning, and then the Governor called Steve up to her office to let him know there's going to be a special celebration for the survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona next month and the Vice-President, Secretary of Defense, the National Security Advisor, and numerous U.S. Senators and Representatives will be there, so we're working with Sam and Tony and the Secret Service on security."

"Wow. That list of dignitaries is going to attract some serious whackos."

"No kidding, but I think we've got a good handle on things so far. In fact, the only problem we might have is with the lead agent for the Secret Service; he's a real piece of work."

"Steve will straighten him out. Tell me more about the argument between Steve and Danny; what was it about?"

"Gracie and 'smooching'."

"She's only nine, Chin! What was she doing kissing a boy?"

"She wasn't kissing a boy."

"You just said. ."

"I just said they were arguing about Gracie and 'smooching'. Now I know how Steve and Danny get started. Let's start over."

(And, by the time Chin explains things to Lana, she's laughing. Chin pitches in with the clean up after dinner and they are soon sitting on the sofa waiting for a movie to begin with a bottle of wine. Chin noticed that Lana got quiet during dinner and he knows there's something on her mind.)

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm good. I was just thinking. . . How would you feel about our having a baby?"

"I think it would be. . Lana, are you pregnant?"

"No, no, not yet, anyway. I know we talked about this before we got married, and decided to wait a while before trying, but, I don't know. . . Maybe it's because of little Eric and, in just a few months, Sam's and Steve's baby's going to be here, and . . . You know what? I think I'm just caught up in 'baby fever'."

"Lana, if you want to go ahead and start trying to have a baby, we can. We don't have to wait. I've gotta admit that I get this feeling when I'm holding Eric. . ."

"You've got 'baby fever', too."

(Danny gets a big surprise when he gets home from work; Grace is sitting at the kitchen bar doing her homework while Caroline, a mysterious smile on her face, is making dinner. Giving both his daughter and his wife a kiss on the cheek, Danny sits down on the bar stool next to Grace.)

"Hey, Monkey, what are you doing here?"

"I asked Mommy if I could come over tonight and talk with you, Danno, and Mom picked me up on her way home from the base."

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Boys, kissing, and sugar."


	55. Chapter 55

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 29, 2011**

(The look on Danny's face is totally priceless! In a matter of seconds, all the color drains from Danny's face, he has a look of sheer terror in his eyes, he unconsciously grabs his chest as if his heart is about to explode, and he actually gasps a couple of times as if he can't catch his breath. If it weren't for the very serious expression on Grace's little face, Caroline would burst out laughing at Danny's reaction. You would think Grace had just told him she wanted to talk to him about moving to Mars instead of boys! Grace, her little face screwed up in a frown that is eerily similar to one of her father's, crosses her little arms in front of her, again, just like her father, and her frown turns into a glare. Caroline, her face red from containing her laughter, doesn't say a word as Danny sucks in a deep breath and grabs the counter for support. He sends a pleading look toward his wife, but she just walks back over to the stove to stir something. Finally, realizing that help isn't coming from any quarter, Danny forces a pained smile onto his face and looks down at his daughter's sweet face.)

"All right, Grace, let's go sit outside and we'll talk."

"Okay, Danno, but I want to have a serious talk, okay?"

(And, hand in hand, Grace and Danny head out to the back deck while Caroline grabs her cellular phone, hits the speed dial for Rachel, and manages to relate Danny's reaction to the other woman between spontaneous bursts of laughter. Promising that she will let Rachel know how things go, Caroline ends the call and sneaks over to the door to the deck so she can eavesdrop on Grace's and Danny's conversation; not caring one bit if she should or not. After his initial shock, Danny has recovered somewhat and appears outwardly calm, but, inside, he's shaking like a leaf.)

"Okay, Monkey, what do you want to know?"

"Why is it okay for grown ups to hold hands and cuddle and kiss, but you get all mad if I want to talk it?"

"I don't get all mad, Grace; I'm just . . . Concerned. You still a little girl, Sweetheart, and you're way too young to be worried about boys and holding hands and cuddling and kissing."

"I _know_ that, Danno, but why can't we talk about it. I _am_ going to be old enough to do all those things one day."

(And Danny, feeling moisture gathering in his eyes for the second time that day, kneels down in front of his daughter and takes both her little hands in his as he looks into his daughter's trusting eyes and prays for the right words.)

"Grace, I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything, baby; anything at all at any time. Please, please don't ever be afraid to come to me at any time about anything. Danno will always be here for you. . . Holding hands and cuddling and even kissing are all things people do when they care about each other; when they love each other. Kind of like when you hug your friend Sarah goodbye after you guys have had a spend the night party, but you don't hug all your friends goodbye, do you?"

"No."

"So, why do you hug Sarah?"

"Because she's my best friend. We talk and hang out together all the time and we have a good time."

"Okay. The same thing's true when two people love each other. They talk and hang out together, they like a lot of the same things, and they're best friends."

"So, holding hands and cuddling and kissing are things you should only do with people you really love a lot?"

"Exactly. Sweetheart, in far fewer years than I would like, you're going to have boys asking you out on dates; that's how people get to know one another, and some of these boys are going to want to hold your hand or cuddle and even kiss you. The thing I want you to remember, Grace, is that you don't have to do any of those things if you don't want to, and I also want you to remember that all those things are just for very special, very important people. If a boy doesn't want to take the time to really get to know you, it all he wants is to hold your hand or cuddle or . . Kiss you, he doesn't really care about who you are or what you think or how you feel."

"Mommy says that boys who do that don't really want to treat me like a lady and that I should always remember that I'm a lady."

"And your Mommy's absolute right, Grace. Always remember that you're a lady, always act like a lady, and you'll always be treated like a lady. And if some boy tries to treat you otherwise, he's going to have to answer to me and Uncle Steve, and Uncle Chin, and Tony, and Grandpa."

(And then Grace looks into her father's eyes for a moment with a very serious expression on her face as if weighing his words before throwing her little arms around her father's neck and giving him a kiss on the cheek and a great big hug; a big, beautiful smile on her sweet face.)

"I love you, Danno! And you don't have to worry. . . Boys are gross!"

(And Danny Williams hugs his little girl tightly before a sudden and extreme weakness takes over his body and he's shaking like a leaf.)


	56. Chapter 56

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 29, 2011**

**A/N: Many thanks to Moonjat54 for the ideas I used in the last couple of chapters. Hope I did them justice, Girlfriend, and thank you for your input; you're totally awesome! Another big thank you to Runner 043 for the suggestion about Sam's Porsche. Hope you like the "cargument" even though it isn't between Steve and Danny, Runner! Michelle**

(Steve is in a foul mood when he gets home. He got a phone call from Mark Andrews late in the afternoon that set his blood to boiling; the Secret Service agent had the unmitigated gall to tell Steve that he would need to turn the Five-0 offices over to an advance team of agents arriving in two weeks. Needless to say, Steve came very close to saying something the Governor would not appreciate. Sam's Porsche is already in the driveway and Steve relaxes a little in anticipation of being in the presence of someone who isn't a total and complete idiot and who he loves very much. He finds her in the kitchen putting together her homemade spaghetti sauce, which happens to be one of his favorites, and instantly the tension starts to leave him. Walking up behind her, he slides his arms around her and pulls her back against his solid form while placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. If you look behind you, you'll find a glass of wine on the counter with your name on it."

"Wow, one of my favorite dinners and a glass of wine waiting when I walk through the door. How'd you know?"

"Kono called."

"I swear, Sam, Mark Andrews is an idiot! He called me this afternoon to tell me that an advanced team of agents would be here in two weeks and he expects me to turn over our offices to them!"

"And, naturally, you refused."

"Damned straight!"

"And he said?"

"And he said, 'I don't think you understand, Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, the Secret Service _will_ be taking over your offices as we require a workspace that is fully equipped for all our needs.' I wanted to tell him exactly what he could do with his 'needs'!"

"But you didn't."

"No, but I _really_ wanted to! I told him to have his boss talk to my boss, and perhaps the two of them could find a suitable place for the Secret Service. I certainly know where I'd like to put them!"

(A slight smile on her face, Sam puts the lid back on the simmering spaghetti sauce, walks over to stand in front of Steve, who's leaning against the counter, and slides her arms around his neck. Steve's frown immediately turns into a grin as one arm slides around Sam and his other hand rests on her baby bump. Leaning down to give the baby a quick kiss before dropping one on Sam's full lips, Steve changes the subject.)

"What does McBaby think about the celebration?"

"McBaby kept Mommy from getting a good look at the schematics for both the base and the Arizona, so Uncle Tony had to find the CD-ROMs and load them onto the computers at our Command Center."

"Couldn't get close enough to the table, could you, Sam?"

"Nope; your child prevented that, but that's okay; it's only a temporary thing and I can work around it."

"You know, Sam, I've always thought you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, but, . . . I can't find the right words to describe how seeing you carrying our baby makes me feel."

"Would that be because I'm getting bigger than an aircraft carrier, Steve?"

(There's a slight note of warning in Sam's tone that Steve, stupid man that he is, completely misses and, since Sam is facing away from him at the stove, he doesn't see the expression on her face.)

"That would be because you are one, extremely stunning pregnant lady, Sam."

"So you _do_ think I'm getting bigger than an aircraft carrier!"

"What? No, Sam, I didn't say that."

"Well, you can't find the right words to describe me!"

"Sweetheart, what I _meant_ was, that you've never been more beautiful to me as you are carrying our baby."

"So, I'm _not_ beautiful to you when I'm not carrying a baby?"

"I didn't say that, either, Sam."

(Sam is starting to tear up, and Steve is scrambling to figure out how to get out of this situation before Sam goes totally ballistic.)

"You didn't have to say it, Steve!"

(And now the water works begin.)

"I'm getting so big I can't do anything I used to do like lean over a table to look at schematics, or fit in the cockpit of my plane, or, . . .or get in and out of my car by myself, and, at the rate I'm going, I won't be even able to fit in my car before long! How can you stand to look at me, Steve? I look like a fat cow!"

(Expelling a very heavy sigh and running one hand down his face in frustration, Steve tries to remember everything his father-in-law, Tony, and Kono told him about Sam, pregnancy hormones, mood swings, and patience and makes the HUGE mistake of going with the "agree with anything Sam says" advice; he just do it the _right_ way.)

"You won't be huge forever, Sam. The baby will be here in just a few more months and you'll be back to normal in no time."

"Oh. My. God! You _DO_ think I look like a fat cow and, you don't think I look normal? How could you, Steve?"

(And Sam is out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and flinging herself across their bed before Steve can blink. Beating his head back against the wall a couple of times in a gesture of long-suffering frustration, Steve takes a deep breath and heads up the stairs mentally cursing himself the entire way into their bedroom. The instant he steps into their bedroom and sees Sam lying on her side on their bed, her body shaking slightly and the sound of her soft sobs reaching his ears, all the frustration leaves him. Slipping onto the bed beside Sam, Steve eases over until he's lying as close to her as he can get and gently pulls her trembling body into his strong arms. Smoothing the hair back from her face, he places a soft kiss on her cheek.)

"I'm so sorry, Steve! I didn't mean any of that!"

"I know you didn't, Sweetheart."

"I swear, I just don't know what gets into me sometimes! I mean, I hear myself saying these horrible things to you, but I just can't seem to stop myself!"

"It's all right, Sam."

"It's not all right, Steve!"

"Sam."

"I love this baby, Steve, don't you ever, for one second think that I don't, but I'm having a hard time dealing with all these changes! I'm either crying, or ranting like Danny, or bitching everyone out and I can't _do_ the things I'm used to doing, and, damn it, I'm just . . . All out of sorts!"

"Sam, you're five months' pregnant, Sweetheart. There are a lot of changes going on inside you right now, so, yeah; you're going to have to make a few adjustments for the time being. Baby, if just a few, short months, we'll be able to hold our little one in our arms and all this will be forgotten. And as far as the car thing is concerned, we'll just swap vehicles until after the baby's born; you drive my truck and I'll drive your Porsche."

(The evil demon makes itself known at those words and Sam rolls over and shoves Steve down flat on the bed so fast he doesn't have time to blink. The look in her eyes has made many a junior Officer run screaming as fast as humanly possible, but Steve just tells himself to take a deep breath and count to ten.)

"If you want to drive my car, Steve, why didn't you just say so instead of playing this stupid game?"

"What stupid game? I'm not playing any game, Sam!"

"Oh? I didn't tell you to buy a stupid truck! If you'd wanted a sports car, why didn't you just buy one? But, no, you want you cake and you want to eat it, too! Honestly, Steve, I cannot believe you'd stoop to such a low, underhanded . . ."

"I bought my truck because I wanted a truck! I LIKE my truck! I DO NOT want a damned sports car!"

"What's wrong with a sports car?"

"I didn't say anything was wrong with a sports car! I said I liked my truck!"

"You said DAMNED sports car indicating you don't like sports cars!"

"What the Hell? You're the one who said it was getting hard for you to get into and out of _your sports car_, Sam, and that it wasn't going to be much longer before you wouldn't be able to _fit_ into _your sports car_!"

"You see? You keep saying _'your sports car'_ like it's a bad thing! Why can't you just be happy with _your damned truck_ and leave my poor, little sports car alone?"


	57. Chapter 57

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: September 29, 2011**

**A/N: So, okay, here's Michelle's impression of a "Danny-rant": I have deleted chapter 56 and re-loaded it THREE times because it has a lot of spelling and grammatical errors, and is even missing a couple of words, but the site will not change it! I reported this to the site when it started to happen a few days ago, but nothing's changed! Please accept my profuse apologies about all the "boo boos". I promise you I do check my work and I do know how to spell! (And, yes, I was waving my hands wildly in the air just like Danny before I started typing this!) Michelle**

(Steve gets off the bed and heads toward the door at a pretty good clip, and Sam follows him like a shot.)

"Don't you dare walk out on me in the middle of our discussion!"

"Our 'discussion', Sam, has caused dinner to burn! I'd rather it didn't cause the house to burn down, as well!"

(And it's then that Sam takes a big whiff and realizes that their dinner is, in fact, ruined. A horrid stench fills the kitchen and, while the room isn't filled with smoke, there's definitely some in the air. Both Sam and Steve grab pot holders and he gets the spaghetti sauce while she gets the noodles and they set the pots in either side of the double sink. Steve opens the door to the deck and flips on the ceiling fan to clear the room of both the smoke and the smell while Sam runs cold water over the ruined food. Sam is standing by the sink with her hands on her hips, Steve has assumed the same position standing in the door from the kitchen to the deck, both are wearing frowns, and they stare at one another for a few moments. Ten seconds later, they both burst out laughing.)

"Are you sure we're smart enough to have a baby, Steve?"

"We'd better be, Sam, because it's too late now. Where do you want to go for dinner?"

"I don't know but are we taking my 'damned sports car' or your 'stupid truck'?"

(And they both start laughing again. Forty-five minutes later, they're sitting at a table on the outside deck of a seafood restaurant on the beach and enjoying the sunset. Steve is holding one of Sam's hands and gently rubbing his thumb absently across the back of her hand.)

"I really am sorry about going off the deep-end like that, Steve. I thought the mood swings had just about disappeared, but I guess I was wrong."

"We'll get through it, Beautiful, because, no matter what, we love each other."

"You're absolutely right, Steve. . . Oh, I almost forgot, Adm. Henderson asked me to invite Five-0 to a special ceremony day after tomorrow at the base. Tony wrote his guys up for commendations for the op they were on just before Eric was born and the awards were finally approved. Think you guys can make it?"

"I don't see why not. What time?"

"1300 hours, and, Steve. ."

"I know; wear my uniform."

"You know the Admiral well."

(Two days later, the Five-0 team, along with Libby, Mike, and Lana, who was also invited, sits with Sam and Steve, as Adm. Henderson finishes the presentation of awards to the SEALs. Once he's done that, he addresses the gathered guests.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett, Lt. Montgomery, Mrs. Montgomery, if you would all join me, please."

(Sam, a smile on her beautiful face, steps up to Adm. Henderson and takes his place at the podium as Kono and Tony, looking just as confused as everyone else, stand next to the Admiral as Sam begins her part in the ceremony.)

"Attention to Orders. The President of the United States, acting upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, has placed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, integrity, and abilities of Lt. Anthony Montgomery. In view of these special qualities and his demonstrated potential to serve in the higher grade, Lt. Anthony Montgomery is promoted to the permanent grade of Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy, effective this date. By order of the Secretary of the Navy."

(Everyone is smiling broadly as Kono, having been handed Tony's new rank insignia by Adm. Henderson and wearing a beautiful smile herself, swaps out her husband's shoulder boards to reflect his new rank. Once that's done, Tony recites the Oath of Office, and, after receiving a kiss from his wife, receives congratulations from Sam and Adm. Henderson to a rousing round of applause. _Lt. Cmdr._ and Mrs. Montgomery retake their seats, and Adm. Henderson, casting a smile at his second in command, then makes another announcement; calling Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett to the front. Steve obeys the Admiral's order and finds himself standing next to his wife at the podium. . .

Sam is grinning from ear to ear when she again calls Attention to Orders.)

"The President of the United States, acting upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, has placed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, integrity, and abilities of Lt. Cmdr. Steven J. McGarrett. In view of these special qualities and his demonstrated potential to serve in the higher grade, Lt. Cmdr. Steven J. McGarrett is promoted to the permanent rank of Commander, United States Navy, effective this date. By order of the Secretary of the Navy."

(And Sam proceeds to swap out her husband's shoulder boards reflecting his new rank, he raises his right hand and takes the Oath of Office, and then gives his wife a kiss that might be a little healthier than called for given where they are, and accepts Adm. Henderson's congratulations as the audience applauds thunderously. Once the ceremony is complete, Steve realizes that Grace is sitting with Danny and Caroline and turns to his wife as their ohana makes their way toward them.)

"You did this, didn't you, Sam?"

"Steve, you know good and well that I don't make the selections for the promotions board. Besides, you were both due to be promoted."

"I love you, Sam. Thank you,"

(Everyone else has reached them by this point and handshakes and hugs are the first order of business. Grace, having been present for the ceremony and seeing identical rank insignias on Sam's and Steve's uniforms, has a slightly puzzled look on her face so she tugs on Steve's pants leg until he looks down at her.)

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"Does this mean Aunt Sam doesn't outrank you anymore?"

(But Steve is a very smart man, at least at the moment, and answers his niece with a perfectly straight face.)

"Not exactly, Gracie. We hold the same rank now, but Aunt Sam's been a Commander longer than I have which means. ."

"That I still outrank him, Gracie."

"Cool!"


	58. Chapter 58

**CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 1, 2011**

**A/N: Hi, guys! Okay, I used that "dramatic license" thing in the last chapter as people being promoted in the U.S. military know well in advance of their promotion ceremony exactly what's going to happen. However, I wanted it to be a surprise to both Steve and Tony, and pretty much everyone else, so that's the way I wrote it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! LOL Hope you all enjoy! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and, PLEASE, keep those reviews and private messages coming; they help feed my muse! I'm also curious as to how many of you knew that Steve's promotion was what Sam asked of Admiral Harte when she and Mike had lunch with him. Moonjat did, so the rest of you please let me know if you did, as well! Michelle**

(Libby and Mike have reached the group and Libby hugs first Steve and then Tony and the maternal pride on her face is obvious. Mike shakes the hands of both young men and he, too, is looking a little proud. Danny, smart-ass that he is, overheard Sam's last comment to his daughter and he just can't resist.)

"Okay, hold up a minute. If Steve now has the same rank as Sam, how is it that Sam still outranks him, Mike?"

"Sam and Steve now hold the same rank, but Sam has held the rank longer than Steve, so she is the senior ranking Officer."

"What does _that_ mean, Grandpa?

"If your Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve were in a situation where an order needed to be given, Aunt Sam, as the senior ranking Officer, would be the one to give the order and Uncle Steve would have to obey it just like everyone else."

"It means, Gracie, that Aunt Sam still gets to tell me what to do when we're both on duty."

(But Danny is still gnawing on the bone.)

"But you're _not_ on duty right now, boy genius. In fact, you're not even on _active duty_ right now! . . Are you?"

"Technically, Danny, yeah, I am. Although I've submitted my final written reports on the op to capture Alexei Kasavich, they haven't yet been approved so I'll be designated as 'on active duty' until that happens and then I'll be designated as a Reserve Officer again."

"Why can't you military people ever do anything the easy way?"

(But Adm. Henderson gets everyone's attention before anyone can respond. The Admiral announces that they should adjourn to the Officer's Club for a reception honoring Steve and Tony, and Steve suddenly gets an "uh oh" look on his face. Mike, knowing full well what just crossed Steve's mind, finally pulls the hand he's had behind his back around and holds out Steve's new cover, complete with the gold braid reflecting his new rank. Holding the cover out to his son-in-law, Mike smiles at Steve's look of complete relief.)

"Here you go, Son. This was mine; thought I'd pass it on to you."

"Thanks, Mike, that . . . That means a lot."

(And Sam adds her own little bit of "special meaning" to the mix.)

"Your new shoulder boards were actually a pair of mine, Sailor, and, Tony? Your shoulder boards were Steve's."

(Even Danny realizes the meaning behind Mike's and Sam's words; passing down covers and rank insignias means that the person giving the items is close to the recipient and should mean more to person receiving them. Steve's and Tony's expressions reflect that they very much appreciate the gestures. Everyone heads to the O Club for the reception, and the first person Steve sees when he walks in the door is Gov. Jameson. The woman is smiling and offers her congratulations.)

"Congratulations, Commander McGarrett, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery, you gentlemen are both very deserving of your promotions. I'm sorry I was late for the ceremony, but I was on the phone with the Director of the Secret Service reinforcing the fact that his agents will _not_ be taking over your offices, Commander. I did manage to get here just as Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery was taking his Oath of Office."

"Thank you for coming, Governor, and thank you for taking care of that issue with the Secret Service."

"You're welcome, Commander. However, now they're Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett's problem as I suggested they might be able to find suitable office space on base. Please forgive me, Sam, but I felt you were better equipped to deal with them."

"It's fine, Ma'am. Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery is acting as my aide for this op and we had already discussed where to put the Secret Service."

(Sam says this in an innocent voice with a perfectly straight face, but the snorts, smirks and coughs that follow her comment leave no doubt that everyone else knows that Sam's and Tony's idea about where to put the Secret Service is more along the lines of Steve's and even Gov. Jameson has to smother a snort of derision. Twenty minutes later, Sam is finishing a conversation with Senior Chief Tim Newton and his wife, Beth, when she sees Kono headed her way. Excusing herself, Sam turns and she and Kono stroll over to a quieter corner of the room.)

"I just wanted to thank you, Sam."

"For?"

"For putting the wheels in motion for Tony's promotion. Adm. Henderson let it slip that you did the research and determined that he was eligible, wrote a letter of recommendation, got your father to write one as well, and expedited the paperwork to the selection committee, so, thank you."

"You're welcome, Kono, but Tony both earned and deserved that promotion; all I did was take care of the paperwork."

"You did a lot more than that and we both appreciate your efforts, and the fact that Tony's new shoulder boards were Steve's, well. . . That means a lot, too."

"I knew that, if Steve had known about Tony's promotion beforehand, he would have wanted Tony to have them since Steve's his former C.O."

"Just one more thing . . . Just exactly where is it you and Tony plan to put the Secret Service?"

(But Sam just looks at Kono for a moment before both young women burst into peals of laughter.)


	59. Chapter 59

**CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 1, 2011**

(As the reception starts to wind down, Sam gets everyone's attention and makes an announcement.)

"Thank you all for coming to today's ceremony; I know that Cmdr. McGarrett and Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery appreciate your attendance. I'd like to invite you all to their 'wetting down' at our home this evening beginning at 1800 hours. Bring you appetites and come thirsty! We've got a ton of barbecue and plenty of liquid refreshment!"

"What's a 'wetting down', Mom?"

"Well, Gracie, when someone is promoted in the Navy, they traditionally host a party for their family and friends. It goes back to a tradition established in the very early years of the Navy when the newly promoted person would spend their first paycheck at their higher rate of pay on entertaining the people who served under them."

"Oh. Can we throw Uncle Steve and Tony in the ocean and really 'wet' them down?"

"I'm sure we can, Sweetie, if we can find enough able bodied people who are physically capable of actually doing that. Your Uncle Steve and Tony can be quite the handful."

"I bet _I_ can find enough people to do it, Mom."

(Grace runs off to find Senior Chief Tim Newton and Caroline makes a beeline across the room toward Steve and Tony who are talking with the Thrashers and Adm. Henderson. Libby catches the look on her daughter's face before anyone else.)

"Is something wrong, Caroline?"

"No, Mom, but I wanted to give you guys a 'heads up'. Grace asked what a 'wetting down' was and I told her, but she wants the two of you to actually get wet. She asked if we could throw you into the ocean later."

"And you said?"

"I said that we probably could if we could find enough able bodies to physically do it, but that you two could be a handful and she headed off to talk to Senior Chief Newton."

"Ah, so you want us to 'let' ourselves be thrown in the ocean so Gracie won't be disappointed."

"Well, yeah, you can stop being the big, bad-assed SEALs for a few minutes, can't you?"

"I think I can manage that. Boss?"

"Yeah, me, too, if it makes Gracie happy."

"Okay, then and, thanks, guys."

"You two need to put up at least a token resistance. Don't want to spoil all my granddaughter's fun."

"Good idea, Sir. I'll just go read the Senior Chief in on the op."

(Once Tony and Caroline are both gone, Steve turns to his in-laws with some questions.)

"I know Sam doesn't make the selections to send to the promotions board, but she had a hand in this, Mike. Want to tell me what you know about it?"

"Sam already knew that you had enough time in as a Lieutenant Commander to be promoted, but, because you transferred to the Reserves when you took the job as head of the Governor's Task Force, you probably weren't going to get that promotion unless someone got the ball rolling. When you deployed on the op to capture Alexei, Sam and I had lunch at the O Club with Adm. Harte. He apologized to Sam for recalling you to active duty and sending you to Afghanistan, and told her if there was ever anything he could do to help either of you to let him know; she did. And, then, she suggested to Adm. Henderson that Tony was due for promotion as well, and. . . Here you are."

"I knew she had something to do with it. I suppose she's got the 'wetting down' planned to a tee, as well."

"She does and, speaking of your 'wetting down', Libby and I are in charge of getting everything set-up and ready at your house, so we need to go. Libby, find Caroline and Danny so they can head out, too. Caroline needs to go home and change out of her uniform before they get to Sam's and Steve's."

(Libby gives Steve a kiss on the cheek and a motherly smile before heading off to do as Mike asked, and Mike shakes his son-in-law's hand again.)

"I'm proud of you, Son, and, although your wife brought your promotion to Adm. Harte's attention, you've earned it."

"Thank you, Mike. I don't tell you this very often, but I'm very lucky to have you for a father-in-law. It means a great deal to me to have you and Libby in my life."

"We love you, too, Son. Now, I need to find my wife and get out of here so my daughter doesn't kill me."

(Sam and Steve leave the reception not long afterward and discover that Libby, Mike, Caroline, and Danny have everything well in hand by the time they get to their house. They both head upstairs to change out of their uniforms, and it's the first opportunity they've had to be alone since before the promotion ceremony. As soon as they're inside their bedroom and Steve has shut the door, he grabs Sam's hand and pulls her close; kissing her soundly before lifting his head to look down into her beautiful eyes.)

"What was that for, Sailor?"

"Thank you, Sam. Your father told me what you did."

"I didn't do anything, Steve, except ask an Admiral to take a look at your record and submit a recommendation to the selections panel. You earned your promotion."

"Still, Sam. . . I just wanted to tell you how much I love you before everyone got here and things got crazy. What you did for me was amazing."

"You're amazing, Steve. You are the love of my life and you always will be."


	60. Chapter 60

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 3, 2011**

(The McGarrett's house is soon full of people and the food and drinks are plentiful. Everyone has a great time; even Steve and Tony, who, after allowing themselves to be thrown into the ocean, much to Gracie's delight, get their revenge by taking most of the SEALs with them. By the time the 'wetting down' is over and everyone has gone home, Sam and Steve both fall asleep tired but happy. . .

Several days pass in which security assessments of all possible locations where the VIPs might be at any given time the day of the celebration are completed and everyone involved is fairly confident they have the situation under control. . .

Steve goes with Sam for her ultrasound the morning the advance team of Secret Service agents is due to arrive and they get to see their baby for the first time. They are both deeply moved and both of them are very eager to hold their child. . .

When the advance team of agent's arrives, the lead agent, Mark Andrews, is also with them. The Hawaii Five-0 team is already at the base working with Sam and Tony, and they, along with Admirals Henderson and Thrasher are waiting on the tarmac when the plane carrying the agents arrives. Andrews is the first person off the plane and he's obviously in a bad mood when he almost stomps up to Adm. Henderson.)

"I'm Mark Andrews, the lead agent for the celebration taking place here for the survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona. Who's in charge here?"

"Well, Agent Andrews, if you're talking about the base, that would be me; Adm. Allen Henderson. As far as the celebration, then Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett is in charge."

(Andrews glances over at Sam and an incredulous expression crosses his face. Looking back at Adm. Henderson, Andrews practically snarls out his next words.)

"You've put a pregnant woman in charge of the celebration? Really, Admiral, I would have thought you would personally have taken charge of this since the Vice-President is coming. Who are these other people, these _civilians_?"

"I'm Cmdr. Steve McGarrett, head of the Governor's Task Force, this is Det. Danny Williams, Det. Chin Ho Kelly, and Off. Kono Montgomery."

"Another 'Cmdr. McGarrett'? What are you people, some kind of weird form of The Waltons?"

"Agent Andrews, Cmdr. Steve McGarrett is my husband and, as he's already stated, the head of Gov. Jameson's Task Force. They are working with us on the security and logistics of this celebration."

"I'm surprised that a woman in your condition would still be on active duty, Mrs. McGarrett, let alone in charge of such a high-profile situation."

"It's _Commander_ McGarrett, Agent Andrews, and I assure you that I am more than up to the task."

(But apparently Andrews has completely dismissed Sam and turns back to Adm. Henderson. Sam is doing a remarkable job of not losing her temper, but Steve, as well as Danny and Mike, is frowning.)

"All right, Admiral, I was told my people would be provided a place to work with secure computer equipment. Would you be so kind as to direct us there?"

"As I said, Agent Andrews, _Commander_ McGarrett is in charge of this op, and you will be working closely with her so I suggest that you lose the bad attitude and try to be more cooperative."

"You can't be serious? You want me to place the safety of the Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Advisor, not to mention all the U.S. Senators and Representatives who will be here, in the hands of a woman in such a 'delicate' condition?"

(But Sam has had enough and, after exchanging a look with Adm. Henderson, proceeds to demonstrate just how "delicate" her condition is. Her foot comes down hard on Andrews' instep at the same time that her elbow finds its way to his solar plexus. When he involuntarily doubles over, Sam's clenched fist swings back up to catch him in the nose as her foot then hooks around his ankle and she jerks causing Agent Andrews to land flat on his back on the tarmac. Not another person has so much as moved a muscle of said a word. Sam isn't even winded; Agent Andrews, on the other hand, is writhing and gasping in pain. A calm expression on her face, Sam looks down at him calmly.)

"Was that 'delicate' enough for you, Agent Andrews?"

(Several people, including some of the Secret Service agents, have to turn away to hide the grins on their faces, and there are some quickly covered snickers. Once Andrews is back on his feet, he dusts himself off and glares daggers at Sam. Very calmly, she directs the Secret Service agents toward the SEALs building where two offices have been set aside for them near the Command Center and asks Tony and Chin to review the systems with them. Once they've been left to their own devices to settle in, Sam heads into one of the small conference rooms where her father, Adm. Henderson, and Steve are waiting. The grins of the faces of the three men say it all.)

**A/N: A huge thanks to Runner043 for the suggestion about Sam kicking someone's butt. Hope I did your idea justice, Ma'am!**

**I have been checking the traffic stats for this story for the past couple of weeks and, between reduced traffic and decreased reviews and number of private messages, I have concluded that my writing is not up to par. I apologize for having done such a poor job with this story. I am seriously considering suspending this story for the time being and possibly resuming it at a later date when my writing is more acceptable. I don't want to disappoint my readers, but I'm afraid that's exactly what has happened and I apologize to each and every one of you. I appreciate all of my loyal readers and thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Michelle**


	61. Chapter 61

**CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 4, 2011**

**A/N: Wow! I have received an amazing number of private messages urging me to continue with this story, so, I will do my best. Thank you all for your support; I truly, truly appreciate your kind words of encouragement and also you reading and reviewing. Michelle**

**P.S.: After tonight's episode, I believe Kono's dismissal from H.P.D. is a ruse. I think she's undercover for Internal Affairs or the Narcotics unit or maybe even Five-0. Would explain Steve's and Danny's seeming lack of interest in what's going on with her and Chin may be showing up to see her so the bad guys won't get suspicious as they would expect Chin to hang around. Of course, brushing Chin off like she did is totally out of character for her and she would never, ever use his password and log into H.P.D. computers under his name unless she had been assured he would not get into trouble; especially after it took him all those years to clear his name, so I'm thinking she was given the password, by Chin himself or someone at H.P.D.. Of course, this is just my humble opinion. M.**

(Sam enters the room and begins to apologize before taking her seat.)

"Adm. Henderson, I just want to apologize, Sir. My 'attack' on Agent Andrews was completely unwarranted, and I plan to apologize to him as soon as he's capable of actually hearing what I have to say,"

"On the contrary, Commander, Agent Andrews needs to apologize to you and I'm going to see to it that he does so publicly. That young man is too full of his own sense of self-importance. I've made a couple of phone calls and found that this is the first time he's actually been in charge of a detail like this, so I believe his just trying to . . Find his way. He should be receiving a phone call from his superior any time now directing him to coordinate the activities of the Secret Service with you and _you_ will be in charge of this op, Sam."

"I won't let you down, Sir."

"You'd better not, Commander. The Vice-President and I were at the Naval Academy together and we've remained friends all these years. I've just been bragging to him about my very competent second in command; even told him about how you put Agent Andrews down on the tarmac even though you're six months' pregnant. He said that's because you graduated from the Naval Academy and Agent Andrews graduated from Princeton."

"You're a personal friend of the Vice-President's. Begging your pardon, Sir, but exactly when were you going to give me that information?"

"Is it going to make a difference in the way you run this op, Commander?"

"No, Sir."

"Well, then, just forget I said anything. Now, why don't you fill us in on what you and Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery have come up with?"

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(And Sam proceeds to do just that. Throughout her briefing, however, Steve keeps sending her looks that leave absolutely no doubt as to what he's thinking about, and Sam has to force herself to keep her mind on her presentation. Once she's finished, her father and Adm. Henderson look at one another as if to say, "Well, glad that's taken care of.", tell her to "carry on", and they're out the door. As soon as it shuts behind her, Steve pulls her to him and plants a serious kiss on her full mouth.)

"Do you know how 'hot' you looked when you took Andrews down? It was all I could do to stop myself from grabbing you on that tarmac and kissing you senseless, Sam."

"_That_ would have ruined the whole effect I was aiming for, Steve."

"Yeah, I know; that's why I didn't do it, but I wanted to."

"Well, nobody's stopping you _now_, Sailor."

(And, of course, just as Steve's mouth captures Sam's, Danny bursts through the conference room door and drops down in one of the chairs.)

"If the two of you can stop the lip lock thing for just a minute, I've got some news."

"This had better be good, Danny!"

"Andrews just got a call from Washington, and, after he answered, he didn't say another word for ten solid minutes. By the time he hung up, he had turned three shades of green. Thought he was going to throw up before he the call ended. Any idea what that's all about?"

"You are such a dead man!"

"Hey! I'm just wondering what the call was all about; figured since the two of you are more or less running this show, one of you could tell me."

"That's what the call was about."

"What?"

"The fact that Sam's running the op."

"Isn't that what I just said, boy genius?"

"Danny. ."

"What, Steven?"

"Okay, children, keep it up and somebody's going to time out! Danny, Agent Andrews won't be any more trouble so please go back to the Command Center and make sure he does exactly what Tony asks him to until I get there, please."

"Okay, but . ."

"Danny!"

"Going. Geez."

(And Danny, grumbling under his breath, heads out and closes the door behind him. Steve kisses Sam again, but, again, the door to the conference room bursts open and Chin sticks his head in.)

"You two really need to . . . Oh, um, sorry, but you really need to head back to the Command Center. Agent Andrews has recovered from his phone call and he's jumping up and down about wanting to go over the plans for the VIPs' arrival and motorcade to the Arizona."

"We'll be right there, Chin."

"Thanks, Sam. Um, sorry for the interruption."

(Sam looks up at her husband with a rueful expression on her face and has to work hard to keep the laughter from bubbling out of her at his expression. Steve looks more frustrated than she's seen him in a while and, although she's fairly frustrated herself, she knows that they need to go tame the pit bull. McBaby chooses that particular moment to kick hard enough for Steve to feel it and he gives up and starts laughing; which is all it takes for Sam to dissolve into giggles herself. Steve settles for dropping a quick kiss on Sam's mouth and they both pull themselves together before heading to the Command Center.)


	62. Chapter 62

**CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 4, 2011**

**A/N: Many thanks to SugarMuffin08 for the idea for this chapter! I hope this is what you had in mind, Ma'am! Michelle**

(After a rather long and frustrating day of explaining the very same thing about ten different ways to Agent Andrews, every single person involved with the celebration plans, including some Andrews' own people, are just about ready explode. Mark Andrews is apparently about as thick as a plank and his penchant for wanting to argue with every, little detail is so aggravating that even Chin Ho Kelly is ready to shoot him. Caroline, who has also been pulled in to assist with the plans for the celebration, is completely amazed that someone hasn't followed Sam's example and punched Andrews' lights out for him. By the time they are ready to leave the base for the day, everyone, including the unflappable Mike Thrasher is in a foul mood. Telling Steve she's going to take care of some paperwork she needs to handle, Sam sends her husband home, takes a deep breath, and heads into the office Mark Andrews is using. The man is on the phone when she walks in and rudely ignores her, leaving her to stand in front of the desk at which he's sitting for a good five minutes. Although Sam is perfectly fine with standing, she cannot believe the man's lack of consideration; especially since he made such a big deal about her "delicate" condition earlier. When he finally ends the call, Andrews glares up at Sam.)

"Come to embarrass me again, Cmdr. McGarrett?"

"No, Agent Andrews, I've come to talk with you."

"We have nothing to discuss. You had Adm. Henderson call my boss and I've been ordered to cooperate with you. What else could you possibly want?"

"First of all, I answer to Adm. Henderson; he is my superior officer. I don't have him 'do' anything. Secondly, I understand that this is the first time that you've been the lead agent on a detail of this nature. Now, I'm fairly certain that your superiors at the Secret Service would not have given you this assignment if they didn't think you were capable of successfully carrying it out. Obviously, you have been in charge of other protection details for lower- profile individuals and, obviously you've done a good job. I've done some research on the members of your team. Not a one of them, including you, has ever set foot in the state of Hawaii except Agent Thomas, and he was here for one week six years ago on his honeymoon. I seriously doubt that he was thinking about security strengths and weaknesses, possibly sniper positions, or protecting the Vice-President when he was on the island."

"How the Hell do you know the names and backgrounds of the agents on my team? That information is highly classified!"

"I have extremely high security clearance, Agent Andrews. In fact, my security clearance is much higher than yours and you're charged with protecting the Vice-President."

(This information causes the man's upper lip to curl up into a sneer and he opens his mouth to say something but Sam stops him before he can start.)

"My husband grew up on this island and Det. Kelly and Off. Montgomery have lived here all their lives. Det. Williams knows this island well, and everyone else on our joint task force for this celebration has intimate knowledge of this base, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial and the motorcade route, as well. We need to work together, Agent Andrews, instead of against one another. You and your agents have the training and expertise to protect the high-profile individuals that will be in attendance at this celebration in close quarters and my people have the training and expertise to deal with everything else. Wouldn't it make more sense if we utilized our resources to the maximum potential instead of having a pissing contest about who's in charge?"

(The man seems to be listening, so Sam presses her point.)

"You know, neither the Vice-President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Advisor, or the Senators or Representatives who are going to be attending this celebration are all that important in the grand scheme of things. Neither are you or I or anyone else on the task force. The people who are really important, the people who really _matter_ in all this are those fine gentlemen who are the survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona and their families. We owe it to _them_ to make sure that this celebration goes off without a hitch. We owe it to _them_ to provide a safe and secure environment in which they can reflect and remember and pay their respects to their lost shipmates. _Those_ gentlemen are all heroes; they've earned our respect and consideration. Only if we work together can we give them that respect and consideration. Agreed?"

(Andrews answers Sam somewhat grudgingly.)

"Agreed."

"All right, then. First thing in the morning, as soon as everyone's here and in the Command Center, we're going to start over. You and I are going to 'kiss and make up' publicly so that everyone else can see that we're not two separate groups, but one team on this assignment. . . I know it must be daunting to be responsible for the protection of the man who is one heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States, but I believe you're up to the task. It's okay to be scared; if you're not, then you're in the wrong line of work. The trick is to not let other people know you're scared."

(And with those parting words, Sam walks out of the office and leaves Agent Mark Andrews of the United States Secret Service re-evaluating his opinion of Commander Samantha McGarrett of the United States Navy.)

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all of America's heroes, the men and women who have given their blood, sweat, tears, and, sometimes, their very lives in defense of our country and her allies. My father is one of those heroes and, at age ninety-one, he still remembers watching his brothers in arms dying in battle and he still grieves. Michelle**


	63. Chapter 63

**CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 4, 2011**

(The following morning at 0800, both Sam and Agent Andrews walk into the Command Center where everyone associated with preparation for the celebration, including Admirals Henderson and Thrasher, are seated around the large conference table, and both of them step to the head of the table. The numerous quiet conversations that had been going on in the room come to a halt and all eyes are on the two people standing, side by side, at the end of the table. Agent Andrews looks around the room and then clears his throat.)

"I'd like to apologize to all of you for my behavior yesterday. I was rude and demanding, and that is certainly no way for an agent of the United States Secret Service to behave. Cmdr. McGarrett and I talked yesterday afternoon after all of you had gone for the day and she pointed some things out to me that I should have already known. First and foremost of which is the fact that the most important people at this celebration will be the men who served on the U.S.S. Arizona, and that we should all do our best to ensure they have the opportunity to visit with one another and remember their fallen friends in safety and peace. To that end, I would very much appreciate Cmdr. McGarrett personally accepting my apology and I hope that we can all work together to make this celebration one that is safe, secure, and meaningful to the survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona."

(He extends his hand to Sam, who smiles as she shakes his hand and accepts his apology. A hearty round of applause spreads through the room and Steve sends Sam a look that has her getting a little warm. Sam asks Tony to begin the joint briefing by going over the arrival procedures for the visiting dignitaries and takes her seat next to Steve. She feels his heated gaze on her several times during the briefing and a small smile plays around her mouth the entire time. After spending the morning going over as much as possible, group breaks for lunch around 1100 hours with Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, Kono, Tony, Chin, and Mike heading over to the Officer's Club. Adm. Henderson has a lunch meeting elsewhere. Once they've ordered, gotten their drinks, and are waiting for their food, Caroline jumps right on top of the question several of them want the answer to.)

"Okay, how'd you get Andrews to come around to your way of thinking?"

"Just like he said . . I pointed out that this celebration wasn't about us; it was about the survivors of the Arizona."

"Fine. What else did you tell him?"

"What makes you think I told him anything else?"

"Hello? Because I _know_ you, Sam."

"Caroline, I simply told the man that the men who served on the Arizona deserved to have their celebration and be able to remember their lost shipmates in dignity and peace and know they could do so safely."

"Fine. Don't tell us!"

"Look, we're all on the same page now and that's all that matters."

"Fine!"

"What is up with you today, Caroline? I got the guy to play nicely; what difference does it make how I did it?"

"I guess it doesn't."

(Sam gives her sister a strange look across the table and Mike looks from one daughter to the other with a concerned expression. Steve sends an inquisitive glance in Danny's direction but Danny just shakes his head slightly and shrugs his shoulders as if to say, "Have no idea why my wife's being hostile toward her sister." After the few moments of tenseness between Sam and Caroline, everything seems to be back to normal and the rest of their lunch is spent discussing plans for the upcoming weekend. Sam keeps sneaking looks at Caroline but her sister, after her initial outburst, seems to have settled down. After lunch, Sam heads back to her office at Flight Ops to catch up on some paperwork that needs her attention while the group from Five-0 returns to the Palace to do the same thing. Sam's been working about an hour when Caroline knocks on her doorframe and walks into her office. Sam lays her pen down on her desk and searches her sister's face. Something is definitely bothering Caroline, but, for once in her life, Sam has absolutely no idea what that something might be.)

"Hey, you have a minute?"

"Yeah, Caroline, what's up?"

"I'm sorry that I was cranky at lunch today, Sam."

"It's okay. . . What's going on with you, Caroline?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, there is. Talk to me."

"It's just. . . A lot's been going on lately, Sam, and I'm not doing a very good job of keeping up."

(It hits Sam like a ballistic missile and instantly she _knows_. She is up out of her chair, around her desk, and sitting directly across from her sister and taking her hands like a shot. For just a moment, the two young women search each other's eyes and Sam's heart is hurting.)

"Oh, Caroline, Honey, have you been trying?"

"No, no we haven't, but. . . I look at you, Sam, and I see what _I_ want and then I realize how unbelievably selfish that is and I want to kick myself from here into next year."

"It's not selfish. I remember us talking about this when we were little girls. It will happen, Caroline, but you've both got to be on the same page."

"I know that, Sam, and I'm trying to be patient, but. . . "

"Danny doesn't want. . "

"Yes! No! . . I don't know."

"The two of you haven't talked about this?"

"Not really. I'm . . . Damn. I'm too scared to bring it up."

"I've never known you to be afraid of anything in your life, Caroline."

"Until now."

"C'mon, Sweetie, you two love each other. Danny's not going to yell or scream or throw a fit if you talk about this."

"Yeah, you're right. I just need to do it. Thing is, Sam, if he isn't ready, if he doesn't want to. . ."

"Cross that bridge when you come to it, Caroline."

"Okay."


	64. Chapter 64

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 5, 2011**

(The next two weeks fly by and everything is falling into place for the celebration very nicely, and, after Mark Andrews got on board with everyone else, the combined group of Secret Service agents, Five-0, and Navy personnel are working together like a finely oiled machine. Everything is in place and ready for the VIPs, and they've even done a couple of trial runs, from arrival at the airport to the Arizona and back to the airfield, and feel confident that they're ready to go. The day before the event, Adm. Henderson sends everyone home early as he wants them well-rested for the next day. Sam and Caroline haven't really had the opportunity to talk again since they did in Sam's office and, although Caroline's been her usual, upbeat self, Sam is worried about her. She wanders into her and Steve's bedroom after dinner to find him checking both their uniforms for the following day to make sure their insignia and ribbons are correctly placed. Steve glances over from the closet where he's working and sees the expression on Sam's face and immediately stops what he's doing and moves to the foot of their bed and, sitting down next to her, slides an arm around her and pulls her close.)

"What's the matter, Sam?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired. As much as I want those gentlemen to have their reunion and celebration, I'll be glad when this is all over with and we can get back to normal."

"Sam, I hate to tell you this, Sweetheart, but in about seven weeks, our lives are never going to be normal again."

"You're right, Steve, our lives will be better than normal because McBaby will be here."

(Sam's mood has lightened and she is smiling but Steve has a serious expression on his face as he gently lays his hand on Sam's baby bump and looks straight into her eyes.)

"This baby was created from our love, Sam, this baby is our legacy. No matter what, the McGarrett and Murdock families will continue because of our child."

"Wow. What brought that on?"

"The closer we've gotten to this celebration, the more I've thought about my grandfather. He's entombed inside the Arizona with his fallen shipmates, but, because my grandmother was already pregnant with my father, the McGarrett name lived on and, now, I'm passing it on to our child. My father never knew _his_ father, but he turned out to be a remarkable man; I just wish we'd had more time to work through our differences before. . . . I want you to know that I love you and this baby more than anyone or anything in the world, Sam, and I swear to you that I won't make the same mistakes my father did."

"Oh, Steve, I know you won't. You are going to be an amazing father and I know that our family will always come first with you. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That, if this baby's a girl, you won't lock her in her room when she turns thirteen, and, if it's a boy, you won't start taking him out to the base to watch SEAL training when he's ten."

(Steve sees the impish grin on his wife's face and decides that two can play this game.)

"Okay, but you've got to promise me that, boy or girl, you won't take the baby up in a plane as soon as you're cleared to fly after you deliver."

"Promise. I'll wait until McBaby's at least. . Six months old before we go flying."

(Steve looks her for just a moment before they both start laughing.)

"I'm not going to win this one, am I, Sam?"

"Nope."

"Maybe McBaby will be a Navy aviator _and_ a SEAL."

"Could happen."

(Caroline and Danny are having dinner with Libby and Mike at the Thrasher's house, just the four of them, and Libby notices that her daughter has a somewhat melancholy expression on her face as the two women are walking on the beach while Danny and Mike prepare dinner.)

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?"

"Nothing, Mom."

"Caroline, that may work with some people, but I'm your mother. I've known you since before you were born, remember? Now, what's wrong?"

(And to Libby's stunned amazement, Caroline bursts into tears and throws herself into her mother's arms.)

"I am the most horrible sister in the whole world!"

"Ah, you and Sam had a fight."

"No! . . No, Mom, we didn't have a fight! I'm. . . I'm jealous!"

(And with that, Libby understands perfectly what's wrong with Caroline. Taking a few minutes to rub her daughter's back and murmur to her soothingly until her tears have lessened, Libby puts a hand beneath Caroline's chin and lifts her face.)

"Have you and Danny talked about having children, Caroline?"

"We talked about it before we got married and we both want children, but we never talked about when to have them. And, I'm scared, Mom."

"Of what, dear?"

"You. . You had four miscarriages before I was born. What if the same thing happens with me?"

"Oh, Sweetheart, there's no reason for you to be afraid you can't have children. The doctors all said they could find no medical reason why I miscarried those babies; sometimes, it just happens. Until the day I die I will believe I lost those babies because I allowed myself to get so stressed out about your father. But Danny is not a SEAL, and while being a police officer can certainly be dangerous, you have to trust Danny to be careful and take care of himself. Caroline, if you allow yourself to get all stressed out over something before it happens, you'll never live in peace again. If you think you and Danny are ready to have a baby, then talk to your husband. Something tells me he'll be more than happy to discuss this with you, and, once you two have talked, make an appointment with Lt. Cmdr. Denning at the base for a check-up. Making sure you're really healthy _before_ you start trying to have a baby is half the battle."


	65. Chapter 65

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 9, 2011**

(Danny notices that Caroline is extremely quiet all during dinner and even more so on the way home. He waits until they get home and in their bedroom before he says anything.)

"Hey, what's wrong, gorgeous?"

"We need to talk, Danny."

"Uh oh, there's that 'we need to talk' thing again."

"I'm serious, Danny."

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

(Caroline takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders, and looks her husband straight in the eye.)

"Having a baby."

"Having a baby. As in, you and me having a tiny, little person who cries and wets and poops and spits up kind of baby?"

"So you don't want to have a baby."

"I didn't say that. Did I say that? I was just trying to confirm that we were talking about the same thing."

"A _baby_, Danny; not a thing! And, yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Okay."

"Okay? Okay? Is that all you have to say; 'okay'?"

"No, Caroline, that's not all I have to say, but, since you brought the subject up, I figured you had something you wanted to say to me about it first. So, go ahead; I'm listening."

"I know that, before we got married, we both said we wanted to have children, but we never discussed _when_; I'd like to do that now."

"Okay. Begin the extremely intelligent and talented detective that I am, I'm assuming you want to have a baby sooner rather than later."

"I . . I think so."

"You think so? Caroline, this is not a new pair of shoes or a new car we're talking about here. A baby is a real, live tiny, helpless little person who's going to depend on us to take care of them. There is no trial period to this; we can't send the baby back once it gets here."

"I know that, Danny. Yes. I want to have a baby. With you. Our baby."

"Okay, then."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Mrs. Williams, that I would absolutely love to have a baby with you, but, I think we should do this right. You heard what Steve said the night of his birthday party; we need to make an appointment with an obstetrician and discuss what we should or shouldn't be doing to try and get pregnant."

"Really?"

"Really."

(And to illustrate his words, Danny walks into their bathroom, opens the medicine cabinet, pulls out Caroline's birth control pills, and tosses them into the waste basket. Caroline, a beautiful smile on her face, throws her arms around Danny's neck and kisses him soundly just before retrieving the pack of pills from the trash can and reminding Danny that they need to wait until _after_ they go to the doctor to really start trying. Then, Caroline says something that confuses him a little.)

"Danny, I'd rather we didn't mention the fact that we're going to start trying to anyone just yet, okay?"

"Sure, gorgeous; any particular reason why?"

"Well, for one thing, our niece or nephew is going to be here in a few more weeks, and I don't want anyone distracted from McBaby's arrival. For another, if everyone knows we're actually trying, they're going to ask us if we're pregnant every time we turn around, so let's just surprise them."

"Yeah, okay."

"Danny, do you think Grace will be okay with this? I mean, for nine years she's had you all to herself. Do you think she'll mind sharing you?"

"Caroline, if Grace had her way, we'd have gotten pregnant on our wedding night. Grace _wants_ a little brother or sister; she'll be fine with us getting pregnant."

"Okay. Just one more thing, Romeo."

"What?"

"_We_ aren't getting pregnant; _I_ am."

"Oops! Aye, aye, Lieutenant."

(But Danny kisses Caroline before she can utter a comeback, and it isn't long before they're both caught up in heated passion that one kiss brought to life. . .

The next day dawns clear and bright and both Commanders McGarrett are at the base early to make last minute checks on the security arrangements for the day. The Vice-President, Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor and numerous U.S. Senators and Representatives are due to arrive in two hours, and Agent Mark Andrews of the U.S. Secret Service is as nervous as a cat on a hot, tin roof and looking a little pale. The plans are for Admirals Henderson and Thrasher and their wives, Gov. Jameson, Sam and Steve, Kono and Tony, and Agent Andrews and three other Secret Service agents to sit on the stage with the dignitaries while Caroline, Danny, Chin, and the remainder of the Secret Service agents and Tony's SEALs to be stationed at various points in the crowd. The survivors and their families have specially assigned seating at the front of the stage, and will be the special guests at a reception with the VIPs at the Officer's Club after the ceremony at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. . .

Everything goes off without a hitch and, other than the fact that the visiting dignitaries' comments seem to go on forever, the ceremony itself is very moving and poignant. As the Vice-President is speaking of the bravery and honor of those men lost on the Arizona, Sam glances over and sees the expression on her husband's face and knows he is thinking about the grandfather he never knew and the father he would have liked to have known better and reaches over and squeezes his hand encouragingly. Steve's eyes meet hers and he offers her a small smile.

The reception at the Officer's Club also goes off without a hitch, and the VIPs are in the air and en route back to Washington a couple of hours later. Only then can everyone involved take a deep breath and relax, and Steve is finally able to really relax and talk with his grandfather's surviving shipmates. He listens spellbound as the elderly gentlemen describe his grandfather and he learns a little more about the kind of man his grandfather truly was. Several of the survivors tell Steve that he resembles his grandfather a great deal and that brings a smile to his face. Sam, standing at Steve's side, her hand being firmly gripped by his, sends up a prayer of thanks that Steve has the opportunity to talk with these men who personally knew his grandfather and that they're eagerly sharing information about the man for who Steve was named that he's never heard before. By the time everyone has left the base and Sam and Steve are finally headed home, Steve has a constant grin on his face and Sam decides that all the stress, worry, planning, and headaches during the weeks leading up to this day were well worth every moment of anxiety.)


	66. Chapter 66

**CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 9, 2011**

(Standing on the deck of a sleek cabin cruiser anchored out in the ocean, a lone figure stands with a pair of high-tech binoculars in his hands and looks at the house on the shore as the sky begins to lighten with the first light of dawn. The man and his associates have had the house under surveillance from several different vantage points for the past week and he is fairly certain they will be able to retrieve their "package" with little or no trouble. The man tosses the binoculars to one of the padded deck chairs and starts the boat's motors. If all goes well, he will be able to implement his plan tonight. Smiling to himself as he steers the boat toward a marina on the far side of the island, the man anticipates the events to come. . .

Sam spends the majority of her day on paperwork that has piled up during the time she spent working on the celebration and sits back and relaxes late in the afternoon after finishing up the last report. A quick glance at the clock tells her it's 1820 hours and she is surprised. The last time she spoke with Steve on the phone, she told him she would be home around 1930, and a little smile forms on her full lips when she realizes she's going to be home much sooner. She is just about to shut her computer down for the night when a movement out of the corner of her eye causes her to turn toward the door. Glancing up, she sees Special Agent Andrews standing in her doorway and invites him in to her office. . .

Knowing Sam was going to be late getting home from the base, Steve decides to make sure he has dinner ready when she gets home. He gets involved in trying to duplicate Sam's homemade spaghetti sauce and is frowning as he does a taste test when the phone rings. Grabbing it as he tries to figure out what's missing from the sauce, he sounds somewhat distracted when he answers.)

"McGarrett."

"Hey, Steve, is Sam around?"

"She hasn't gotten here yet, Caroline. She was going to work late to catch up on paperwork."

"Yeah, I knew that, but I thought she'd be home by now."

(Steve glances at the clock and is instantly concerned when he realizes that it's 2015 hours and he's neither seen nor heard from his wife since around 1645 hours.)

"Steve? . . You there?"

"Yeah. Have you talked to Sam lately, Caroline?"

"Not since I left the base around 1730."

"Okay. Look, I'm going to give her a call and make sure she didn't get so caught up in paperwork that she forgot the time. Call you back in a few minutes."

(And Steve tries Sam's cellular phone, which immediately goes to voice mail, and her office number which also goes to voice mail. Telling himself not to panic, Steve calls Adm. Henderson at home and discovers that the man hasn't seen Sam since he left the base at 1800 hours. The Admiral detects the note of concern in Steve's voice and tells him he will call the SPs and see if Sam has left the base. While Steve is waiting for the Admiral to call him back, he makes a few phone calls and Danny is soon on his way to the McGarrett's. Within three minutes, Steve and Danny are headed to the base as well as Tony and Mike Thrasher. Adm. Henderson is also en route and they arrive at nearly the same time. Steve's truck is in Sam's parking space at the Flight Ops building but Sam is no where to be found. Her briefcase is sitting on her desk along with her cellular phone, but her cover is gone and so is she. Steve is gripped by an instant, cold fear, and doesn't hesitate to start snapping out orders. Tony takes charge of contacting all the gates for information while Danny calls Kono and Chin and asks them to start heading to the base. They head into the large conference room and Tony starts booting up computers. Ten minutes later, Tony turns to Steve with a strange expression on his face.)

"Boss, the SPs at the back gate just changed shifts, but one of the guys going off-duty said Sam left the base at 1830 hours; she was with Agent Mark Andrews, and he was driving. They're sending the footage from the gate over to us right now. Let me just pull it up."

(A few moments later, security video pops up on the large, flat-screen monitors in the room, and everyone sees Sam sitting in the passenger seat of a dark blue car while Agent Mark Andrews is driving and waving to the guard as the car leaves the base. The expression on Sam's face, however, is anything but relaxed. In fact, she looks downright worried. Steve is frowning furiously but his voice is calm and steady when he speaks.)

"Chin, run the tag on that car. I seriously doubt we're going to get anything, but run it anyway. Tony, I need everything you can find on Mark Andrews. If anyone in Washington gives you a hard time,. . ."

(But Adm. Henderson speaks up before Steve can finish his statement.)

"If anyone gives you a hard time, Cmdr. Montgomery, let me speak with them."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Steve looks up and catches Mike's eye across the room and sees the fear and worry he's feeling reflected in his father-in-law's eyes. They all know that Sam would have never left her cellular phone lying on her desk unless forced to do so, and she would have called Steve is she were going to be any later than 1930 hours. It's a little before 2000 hours, so Sam and Andrews have been missing for almost an hour and a half. A lot of territory can be covered in that amount of time, and there's a strong chance she's no longer on the island. Steve's insides are twisted with fear and his heart is beating thunderously in his chest, but he forces himself to remain calm and rational. The last thing his wife and unborn child need at the moment is for him to lose his ability to reason.)


	67. Chapter 67

**CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 9, 2011**

(Fear slivering along her nerve endings, Sam glances down and to the left at the Glock 19 Mark Andrews has aimed at her abdomen. She didn't notice the gun he held when he first entered her office because of the overcoat thrown over his arm that was concealing the weapon. Knowing he was flying back to Washington where the weather was much colder that Oahu, Sam hadn't really thought anything about the overcoat until Andrews had calmly and concisely explained to her that she would be accompanying him or he would simply shoot her with the silenced weapon certainly killing her unborn child if not her as well. Not wanting to take any chances with her baby's life, Sam had done exactly as Andrews instructed and now finds herself locked in a cabin aboard a large yacht and knows, from the motion of the boat in the water and the sound of the engines, that the boat is traveling at a high rate of speed. Tears prick Sam's eyes as she realizes that, without her cellular phone, there is no way that Steve can trace her and she is more or less on her own. Andrews gave her absolutely no idea why he was kidnapping her or where they're headed, and she has never felt so alone. McBaby kicks at that moment and Sam cradles her baby bump with both hands as silent tears slide slowly down her face. . .

Steve is frowning darkly and pacing back and forth in the conference room that has, once again, become a command center. Kono and Chin have arrived and Chin is working with Tony to find anything they can on Mark Andrews as Kono tries to trace the vehicle he and Sam left the base in. . .

Libby Thrasher heads to Caroline's and Danny's house. Kono dropped little Eric off with Caroline and Libby needs to be with her daughter and hopes the baby will keep them both sane. . .

Feeling as if he's missing something, Steve wanders down the hall from the Command Center and into Sam's office. Something's off in there; he felt it when he first got to the base and walked in the room, but he was so intent on trying to find Sam that he didn't take the time to really try to figure out what it was. He stands perfectly still for a few moments and looks slowly around the room. Sitting in Sam's chair he allows his eyes to slowly look over the top of her desk and then move to the right to her computer and _that's_ when he realizes that Sam's computer is up and running instead of shut down for the night. Nudging the mouse, he rapidly scans the screen, hits the "print screen" button, retrieves a piece of paper from Sam's printer, and heads back to the Command Center like a shot. He steps inside the door and gets everyone's attention."

"Hey, I just found something on Sam's computer. . She was apparently in the process of shutting her computer down for the night when Andrews walked in. She was able to type this before he forced her out of her office."

(The sheet of paper he's holding is quickly scanned by everyone in the room and they are all puzzled. On the letter-sized piece of paper are the words, "Andrews", "Boat", "Hilo", and "D and A". Steve picks back up where he left off.)

"I think she was trying to tell us that Andrews took her, he's taking her to Hilo by boat, and the people behind this are Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich."

"They're both in prison, Steve, on the mainland."

"And you think that's going to stop them from getting their revenge, Kono? I want the name of every boat that's been in any marina on the island for the past month, and I want to know who they're registered to, when they got here, and when they left. Danny, call the Hilo P.D. and tell them what's going on, and send them photos of both Sam and Mark Andrews. Tell them to get extra personnel to every marina on the island and keep an eye out. Chin, check in with the wardens at the prisons where Dimitri and Alexei are being held and get the names of every, single person either of them have talked to since they've been there, and I don't care if it was to just say, 'screw you' to a guard! Tony, keep digging into Andrew's background and get me his boss at the Secret Service. Adm. Henderson, I believe you'd better call whoever took over Adm. Harte's position at Homeland Security and let them know what's going one."

(Having issued these rapid-fire orders as the thoughts have come into his head, Steve looks at his father-in-law, the only person he hasn't issued an order to, and takes the two steps necessary to reach the man. Lowering his voice, Steve looks at Mike with pleading in his eyes.)

"Your job, Mike, is to make sure that I don't screw this up!"

"You're doing fine so far, Son, but I'll let you know if I think you're making a mistake."

"You have to, Mike, because I cannot make any mistakes here. If I do, it could cost Sam and our baby their lives."

"I've got your back, Son."

(Sam is being held in a large and luxurious cabin on the boat which is dominated by a huge, comfortable looking bed. An hour or so after she felt the boat move out into open water and the engines opened up, Mark Andrews brought Sam a tray of food and encouraged her to eat something; for the baby if not herself. Sam's response was to ask him what they had put into the food; a sedative or some type of poison? Andrews had simply told her he'd be back in an hour to get the tray and left the room. Thankful for the fact that she ate a late lunch in her office, Sam moves to the middle of the bed and sits with her back against the headboard as she tries to figure out how to get away from Andrews once the boat reaches Hilo. Before leaving her office at the base, Andrews made sure she knew that Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich were behind her kidnapping and that the deed was in retribution for their capture and imprisonment; something along the lines of: Steve was responsible for the two of them being imprisoned for life and, therefore denying their family the comfort of their presence so Steve must be denied the comfort of his. Andrews also told Sam that she would be taken to Hilo and then take elsewhere by private plane, but he also said that neither she nor the baby would be harmed in any way. Sam however, doesn't believe that for a second; especially if Dimitri and Alexei are behind her abduction. If their goal is to keep her and the baby away from Steve for life as they are being kept from their family for life, the only way to ensure that is to kill her and the baby; Sam will do everything in her power to get away from her captors and back to Steve and the Kasavich brothers know this.)


	68. Chapter 68

**CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 9, 2011**

(Chin reports that the only people who have been to see either Dimitri or Alexei Kasavich are their lawyers, but Alexei's attorney is a woman named Claudia Andrews and she just happens to be the sister of Mark Andrews. Steve sees red and tells Chin to do whatever he has to do to set up a teleconference call with both Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich. He then walks over to the terminal where Tony is working to find background information on Mark Andrews.)

"Found anything of interest, yet?"

"Actually, Boss, I'm just getting into Andrews' financials. . . Yeah, Boss, I'd say this is something. . . A deposit of fifty thousand dollars was made into Mark Andrews' personal account from what appears to be an off-short holding company two weeks ago; just about the time he arrived here to do the advanced site assessment for the celebration."

(Chin picks up with more information.)

"Claudia Andrews visited Alexei Kasavich that same morning for a legal consultation. I'm running background on her right now."

"Damn it, are we _never _going to be free of the Kasavich family?"

"You and Sam did manage to bring both the Kasavich brothers down, boy genius."

"Not now, Danny!"

"I'm just saying. . ."

"Danny! My very pregnant wife is missing and, apparently, in the hands of people working for the Kasavich brothers! They won't hesitate to _kill_ Sam and our baby! I do not need smart-assed cracks right now; I need to find Sam!"

(While Steve's angry outburst catches them all somewhat by surprise, he still manages to hold it together for the most part. However, they all understand that he's hanging on by a thread and everyone quietly devotes themselves to the task at hand. Steve, a dark frown on his handsome face and fear flickering in his eyes, walks over to the far side of the room and crosses his arms across his chest. Danny, feeling very contrite, walks over to stand next to his brother-in-law,)

"I'm sorry, Steve; really. I didn't mean to be a smart-ass."

"Yeah, I know, Danny; it's okay. . . I'm trying to figure out how I managed to miss the fact that Andrews was working for the Kasavich family."

"We all missed it, Steve."

"Still. . . "

"You cannot blame yourself for this, Steven, because, if you do, you're going to start screwing up right and left, and you need to think straight right now. Sam and McBaby need you to be on your best game."

(Libby stands in the kitchen watching Caroline holding little Eric Montgomery as she walks back and forth in the den. Caroline looks so natural holding the baby boy and her smile is sweet as she looks down into the precious baby's face. Libby's heart is in complete and utter turmoil; here she is seeing what a wonderful mother one daughter is going to be and experiences a moment of joy and hope while she simultaneously knows the fear and pain for the daughter, along with her unborn grandchild, who has been taken from her. Caroline walks over to the portable crib Kono dropped off with Eric and carefully places the sleeping infant inside covering him with a blanket before placing a soft kiss on his little forehead. The same sweet smile is on Caroline's face when she straightens up but, as soon as she turns and sees her mother, Caroline's face crumples and tears start to flow. Hugging her daughter tightly, Libby feels her own eyes flood with moisture.)

"God, Mom, where is Sam?"

"I don't know, Sweetheart, but we both know that Steve will find her and bring her home."

"But will he find her in time?"

"Of course, he will, Caroline and we're not going to think otherwise!"

"Mom, I . .What if Steve can't find her? What if . . . What if we never see her again?"

"Stop that right now, Caroline! Steve will find Sam and he will bring her home; safe and sound. Now, while that sweet little angel is sleeping, you and I are going to see what we can do about dinner. Young Master Montgomery will wake up sooner than you think and he'll be hungry when he does."

"Mom, it's nearly nine now."

"Exactly and no one's eaten any dinner, so we need to put something together quickly. We're going to have to take it out to them at the base, too, because you know that not a one of them is going to leave there until they find Sam. Now, why don't you see what you have in the pantry while I call Lana and get her to come help us. If need be, she can stop by the grocery store on the way over here."

(Steve, his face in a perpetual dark frown, has been wearing a hole in the carpet in the Command Center from his pacing. Kono has compiled a list of eight boats that have left all the marinas on the island within the last two and a half hours and shares what information she has with Steve. He looks over the list and instantly dismisses five of the boats as they're heading in the opposite direction from Hilo. The remaining three are all pleasure yachts and all three have registrations which originated on Hilo.)

"Contact the Coast Guard, Kono, and ask them to keep an eye out for these three yachts; I want to know the minute they make port in Hilo. And notify the Hilo P.D. to have people waiting to keep an eye on them. Tell them to watch them only. I don't want to take the chance of Sam being hit if they get into a fire fight. Mike, you and Tony keep working here, please, and see if you can get us any more information on Mark Andrews and who might be working with him. Danny, Kono, Chin, we're heading to Hilo."

"They've got a big head start, Steve."

"We'll get there before they do, Chin. While you guys were working on finding information, Mike got us a helo."

"And a crew?"

"We're the crew, Danny. Let's go; the helo's waiting on the flight line."


	69. Chapter 69

**CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 10, 2011**

(In a matter of minutes, the Five-0 team is aboard the helo and Steve is expertly lifting off and flying them toward Hilo. Chin has established a data link with his laptop, the computer on the helo, and Tony's terminal in the Command Center and they are receiving the latest information in real time.)

"Steve, Tony says he's run into a problem with setting up the video conferences with Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich. Seems Ms. Matthews, Alexei's attorney is now also representing Dimitri and is refusing to allow her clients to participate."

"Son of a . . . Danny, call Gov. Jameson and see if she can get the U.S. Attorney's office involved. We're apparently going to have to get a warrant to compel the Kasavich brothers to talk to us."

(Realizing that she was going to have to eat and drink something sooner or later, Sam opted for drinking a glass of water from the sink in the head just off the master cabin where she is being held. Fifteen minutes later, her last thought is that the people who abducted her apparently contaminated the entire fresh water supply on the yacht with some sort of sedative and she prays that she hasn't harmed her baby as she falls into unconsciousness. . .

Steve lands the helo at the airport on Hilo and they are met by a Lt. Thompkins of the Hilo P.D. He has several officers with him and two unmarked cars for use by the team from Five-0. Just before they reached the airport, Chin got an update from the Coast Guard stating that two of the yachts were being tracked but they were unable to find the third one. Steve has Chin tell them to continue tracking the two they can and do their best to find the third. He also has Chin get the third yacht's last known position and, once they're on the ground, calls his father-in-law and asks him to get a U.S. Navy cutter sent to the area to see if they can find any clues as to where the yacht might have gone when it dropped off the map. Lt. Thompkins informs Steve that a room has been set aside for their use at Hilo P.D. complete with secure computers per the orders of Gov. Jameson, and also tells them he has plain clothes officers stationed at all the marinas on the island watching for the three yachts. Deciding that they've done as much as they can to cover their bases, Steve and Danny take one unmarked car while Chin and Kono take the other and they follow Lt. Thompkins back to the office that's been provided for them. . .

They've been there less than five minutes when Chin's cellular phone rings and, after a few moments of discussion, he hands the phone to Steve telling him it's Mark Andrews' supervisor with the U.S. Secret Service., an Agent Carl Lessing. Anger sparks briefly in Steve's eyes as he takes the phone.)

"Agent Lessing, Cmdr. Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-0. Care to tell me why one of your agents has kidnapped a pregnant Navy Commander and has fifty thousand dollars in his personal account from an off-shore holding company?"

"First of all Cmdr. McGarrett, Agent Andrews is _my_ agent and the Secret Service will be the agency which investigates him if we deem it necessary to do so; not some state agency formed at the whim of the Governor and staffed with inexperienced personnel! Secondly, the missing Navy Commander in question is your wife and you have no business being anywhere near this investigation! Now, in the next few days, we'll speak with Agent Andrews and see what he has to say for himself. My belief is that your wife went with him willingly and you've learned of her faithlessness the hard way!"

(To say that Steve McGarrett is hard-pressed to remain calm and _not_ pop a blood vessel is putting it mildly! Steve had been holding the phone in such a manner so that Danny, Chin, and Kono could hear what Agent Lessing had to say, and Chin grabs the phone before either Steve or Danny can throw it into the wall. It is only Kono quickly stepping between her cousin and Steve and Danny that prevents the two furious men from doing something they'll most likely regret. Chin, however, is just as furious, and is in no mood to be played with by the smug, arrogant man on the other end of the call.)

"Agent Lessing, this is Det. Chin Ho Kelly of Hawaii Five-0. If your agency had done its job properly in vetting Mark Andrews before he was hired, Sir, you might have discovered that he was, perhaps, not quite the type of person you were looking for in a Secret Service agent! We have him on video clearly removing Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett from the base at Pearl Harbor under duress, and if you even think about voicing that ridiculous and ugly accusation about Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett again, it will be the last thing you do as a member of the U.S. Secret Service! I would strongly suggest, Sir, that you discuss your position with _your_ superiors so that you may receive clarification about the seriousness of this situation!"

(Chin ends the call without another word and Kono quickly realizes that she has three, extremely pissed-off, extremely dangerous men standing in the room with her. Thinking quickly, she pulls out her phone and places a call to Adm. Henderson at Pearl while Steve, Danny, and Chin vent their anger to everyone and anyone who's within shouting distance. Once she connects with Adm. Henderson, Kono quickly explains the situation and asks the Admiral to contact his old friend, the Vice-President, for assistance.)


	70. Chapter 70

**CHAPTER SEVENTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 10, 2011**

(Thirty minutes later, Steve's cellular phone rings and he answers it quickly.)

"McGarrett."

"Cmdr. McGarrett, this is Agent Lessing with the Secret Service. I have been ordered to cooperate with you fully and to provide you with whatever information I can regarding Agent Andrews. I would also like to apologize to you, Commander, for any comments I may have made regarding your wife that were inappropriate."

"Okay, then. I want to know everything you know about Mark Andrews and I want to know it yesterday. I'm going to put Det. Danny Williams on the phone with you, and I want you to answer every, single question he has, and have someone on your staff fax or email his file to us immediately."

(Steve hands Danny his phone and turns to Chin.)

"Any progress on a teleconference with the Kasavich brothers, yet?"

"The Governor's contacting the U.S. Attorney's office, but nothing yet."

"Kono, anything from the Coast Guard?"

"Nothing new. . Steve, can I see you a minute?"

(Puzzled, Steve follows Kono over to a quiet corner of the room and looks at her to find worry in her brown eyes.)

"Okay, I overheard you ask Mike to keep an eye on you and not let you screw up back at Pearl. Mike's not here, so _I'm_ taking over his job. . . You're wound so tight I'm scared you're going to physically explode any second. I know you're worried about Sam and the baby, Steve, but you're not going to do them one bit of good if you lose it. You're practically running back and forth in this room from Danny to Chin to me and back to Danny again like a race horse. I'm concerned that you're not hearing everything you need to be hearing, seeing everything you need to be seeing, and, most importantly, you're not thinking straight. Slow down, take a deep breath, Commander, and get a damned grip. NOW!"

(Steve is totally stunned into silence by the quiet vehemence in Kono's voice and the steely determination in her eyes. Feeling like the petite woman has punched him in the gut – hard, Steve opens his mouth to say something, closes it, and frowns fiercely. Kono, not backing down one, tiny bit, glares back at him without flinching. Steve finally realizes that Kono may just be right, and takes a step back and then another before nodding his head.)

"Yeah, Kono, okay. . . Okay."

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good. . . And, Kono? Thanks."

"Anytime. Just so you know, if I think you're about to blow again, I'm going to jerk you inside out, you got me, Mister?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I read you loud and clear."

"Okay, then. I'm going to go check in with the Coast Guard. You work on getting and keeping your head on straight because I won't hesitate to call Gov. Jameson and pull the plug on you if I think you're out of control. Sam needs you, Steve, but she _needs_ you thinking with your brain and not your heart."

(Kono heads back over to the terminal where she was working and leaves Steve alone for a few moments to gather his thoughts. He realizes that Kono was right; he _was_ on the verge of losing control and the thought scares him. Never before, in his entire life, no matter where he was or how dire the situation, has he ever been this terrified. In his mind's eye, he sees Sam talking to the survivors of the Arizona at the reception and smiling and laughing with the old gentlemen as they regaled them both with stories and anecdotes about Steve's grandfather. He remembers one of the men in particular who was close to his grandfather telling Sam that, boy or girl, their baby was going to be one good looking kid because she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen next to his wife and Sam's laughter turning into compassionate words of comfort when the old man's eyes misted over as he told them his wife had died several months ago. Funny, the old sailor had said, that his beautiful wife had died first when he was the one who stayed in the Navy, even after Pearl Harbor, and almost been killed twice again before the end of the war. The man had looked Steve straight in the eye and told him that he had been given a very precious gift in Sam and that he'd better make sure he held on to her. At the time, Steve thought the man was just melancholy because of the loss of his wife; now, Steve knows exactly what the man meant. The thought of losing Sam nearly brings Steve to his knees and he has to reach out and grab the wall for support for a moment. Finally, the sounds of Danny's voice and fingers flying over keyboards penetrates the fog in his brain and he pulls himself together and strengthens his resolve to find his wife. . .

Sam slowly awakens to discover two things; she has a slight headache she assumes is an after effect of the sedative and she is no longer on the yacht. Instead of the bed in the cabin on the boat, Sam finds herself lying on a large bed in a well-appointed bedroom with an exterior wall made completely of floor to ceiling glass; a beautiful view of the Pacific ocean right outside. Moving slowly to keep the pain in her head at bay, Sam eases herself off the bed and takes a good look around the room, the furniture is both tasteful and expensive, the linens and draperies are elegant, and the room is large enough for her to know that she is now being held in a house that probably has a very high price tag. Stepping to the wall of glass, Sam tries to figure out where she is, but the throbbing in her head intensifies and she returns to the large, comfortable bed where she falls into a deep sleep.)


	71. Chapter 71

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 11, 2011**

(Two hours later, there is still no word from the Coast Guard on the whereabouts of the third yacht. The other two, however, have made port at Hilo and, Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono have spent a good deal of time questioning the people on board both yachts. After determining that Sam is not on either boat, the Five-0 crew heads back to their temporary office at the Hilo Police Department. The sun is just starting to rise as they step out of their vehicles, and Danny starts to follow Kono and Chin into the building but stops when he takes a good look at Steve.

Steve's crossed are resting on the top of the car and his head is resting on his folded arms; his shoulders slumped in defeat. Danny walks around to the driver's side of the vehicle, puts his hands in his pockets, and leans back against the car facing away from the vehicle and next to Steve.)

"We'll find her, Steve."

"I know we will, Danny, but will we find her alive?"

"Yes, we will find her alive. We are going to find Sam and she and the baby are going to be just fine."

"You sure about that?"

(Steve lifts his head and Danny is stunned to see tears in Steve's eyes along with fear and worry. Danny never thought he'd see the day when Steve, big, bad Super SEAL, Mr. "Tougher Than Nails", "Do NOT Screw With Me", McGarrett was reduced to such a state of helplessness and despair, and it shakes Danny to his very core. Anger at the entire Kasavich family courses through the blonde detective as he realizes that Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich have truly found Steve's Achilles' heel; _Sam_. Danny's heart twists painfully at seeing his partner, friend, and brother-in-law so torn up, and he scrambles to find a way pull Steve from the dark abyss into which he's fallen and get him back on track. Taking a deep breath, Danny launches into one of his famous rants knowing that he's going to piss Steve off royally; only this time, he's doing it for Steve's own good.)

"Yes, Steven, I'm sure about that. What is it with you? Sam knows how to handle herself. Were you not paying attention when she put Andrews on the tarmac a few weeks ago? Woman didn't even get winded."

"Sam's over seven months' pregnant, Danny! You think she's going to go all bad ass and risk hurting the baby?"

"I _know_ she's not going to just sit idly by and let _anyone_ keep her against her will or hurt her or that baby she's carrying! Do you know what Sam would say if she could see you now, tough guy?"

"Danny."

"She'd say, 'What the Hell is wrong with you, McGarrett? Get your head out of your six, quite feeling sorry for yourself, and find me!'"

"Danny."

"She'd say, 'I can handle these creeps myself, but I know how much you love to shoot first and ask questions later, so, come on; let's do this!' That's what she'd say and you know I'm right!"

"Damn it, Danny, I don't even know where she is!"

"Yes, you do. She's on the missing yacht, the _Corsica_. All we have to do is find it and we find Sam. So, you going to stand out here having your own little pity party or are you going to go back inside with me and let's get this done?"

(Steve is livid, which is exactly what Danny wanted, but he's also praying he hasn't pushed Steve too far. After a few moments though, Danny sees the fear leave Steve's eyes and a steely determination replace the worry. Straightening up to his full height, Steve pushes off the car and swipes at his eyes with the back of one hand. Looking directly at Danny, he nods just once to let Danny know that he's back in the game and the two men head into the building. . .

Sam comes around slowly and realizes that she is not alone. A woman who appears to be in her mid to late thirties is sitting in one of the comfortable looking chairs in a sitting area to the left of the bed. The woman is wearing what has to be a designer dress, expensive shoes, her hair is perfectly coifed, her make-up subtle and obviously expertly applied, and her earrings, necklace, and bracelet appear to be designer, as well. The woman smiles benignly as Sam's eyes slowly open but she makes no move to stand up or change position.)

"Hello, Cmdr. McGarrett. My name is Claudia Andrews. I'm an attorney and I represent Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich."

"Andrews? You're related to Mark Andrews?"

"Yes. Mark is my brother. It was he who brought you here."

"Where exactly is 'here'?"

"You are a guest of Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich."

"Guest? I hardly think so, Ms. Andrews. I was abducted by your brother and brought here against my will. Why am I here?"

"You _are_ a guest, Cmdr. McGarrett, and you are here because my clients feel that, since your husband has deprived them of their family, he should be deprived of his. You will remain here until you child is born and then you will be sent to a new life in another country. Your baby, of course, will not be accompanying you. Dimitri and Alexei have special plans for your child."

(Fear has been slithering inside Sam since the woman began speaking, but the last words Claudia Andrews utters send chills up Sam's spine. She remains calm, however, knowing that she will get more information out of the woman if she remains calm instead of lashing out as she so desperately wants to do. Sam raises one eyebrow in an expression of disdain and then allows a small smile to form on her full lips.)

"You really believe that you're going to take my baby away from me, Ms. Andrews? You really believe that I'm going to allow you to do that?"

"You have no choice, Commander. Once you've given birth, your baby will be sent to Russia to Dimitri's and Alexei's aunt who will raise your child as a Kasavich. You will simply disappear into the human trafficking markets in the Orient. Once your child is old enough he or she will be sent to kill your husband as retribution for the life imprisonments of Dimitri and Alexei."

"You're insane!"

"You and your husband should have known better than to try to destroy the Kasavich family. Now, the Kasavich family will destroy yours and your own child will be the instrument of its father's death!"

"If you are foolish enough to think that Steve McGarrett is going to let you get away with this,. ."

"What choice will he have? You were taken from Oahu on a yacht called the _Corsica_ which is now resting at the bottom of the ocean. Your husband will believe that you died when the yacht sank and your body was carried away in the currents."

"Steve will never believe I'm dead until he sees my body. He will never stop looking for me. If I were you, Ms. Andrews, I would get myself a lawyer. You're going to need one."


	72. Chapter 72

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 11, 2011**

(Steve and Danny walk back into their temporary office at the Hilo P.D. to find Kono on her cellular phone and Chin working furiously at a computer. They have obviously received some information that has placed both of them on alert and Steve and Danny look from one to the other expectantly. Kono ends her call and turns to Steve with a look in her eyes that causes his heart to plunge to his stomach.)

"The Coast Guard has found the _Corsica_."

"Where is it? . . . . .Kono, where is it?"

"It . . It sank, Steve, about forty miles out of Oahu."

"Sank? How do they know it sank?"

"H.P.D. got an anonymous tip from someone who said they'd seen the boat go down. They contacted the Coast Guard and they sent divers down."

"And?"

"They've found three bodies; all men."

(All the color has drained from Steve's face and his heart seizes in his chest as ice cold terror slithers through his veins. He grabs Kono by the upper arms, whether to steady himself or make sure he has her attention he doesn't really know, but he's barely breathing as he says one word so softly she nearly misses it.) 

"_Sam?"_

"No sign of her."

"You're sure?"

"They're still searching the wreckage, but they haven't found her."

(The "yet" that Kono _doesn't _say still hangs silently in the air as Steve begins to breathe again and regains some color in his face. Suddenly, he's all business and tells Kono and Chin to start shutting down computers while he goes in search of Lt. Thompkins to thank him for their cooperation and hospitality. Danny, having already figured out that they're flying back to Oahu, calls Mike on his cellular phone to make sure he's heard about the yacht being found and to let him know they're on their way back. Minutes later, the Five-0 team is taken back to the airport and Steve has the helo in the air and heading toward the Coast Guard station on Oahu so that they can board a cutter and head to the site of the wreck. After speaking with Danny, Mike coordinated with Adm. Henderson to have Tony and his SEALS sent out to the wreck site with extra diving gear for everyone but Danny and the two groups converge on the wreck site within minutes of one another. Steve, Kono, Chin, Tony, and the other SEALS have their diving equipment on and ready and are in the water in a matter of minutes. Danny, in the meantime, takes pictures of the three men found in the wreckage and sends it to Mike at Pearl who runs them against all criminal data bases. . .

At Sam's advice that she obtain the services of a good lawyer, Claudia Andrews had just laughed and left the room. Alone with Claudia's words echoing in her head, Sam is nearly overwhelmed by a sick feeling of dread. If she weren't pregnant, she would look for a way to escape the house where she is being held but she cannot and will not take any chances with her baby's life. One thing is certain: no one is going to take her baby away from her and no one is going to send her anywhere she doesn't want to go. Sam hasn't eaten since 1330 hours the previous day and she knows she needs to eat something soon for the baby's sake if not her own, but she doesn't want to give her captors the opportunity to sedate her again if she can help it. In her current situation, her options are extremely limited and she decides to try drinking some water from the sink in the bathroom adjoining the bedroom in which she is being held reasoning that, while they may have been able to put a sedative in the fresh water tank on the boat, they can't do the same thing in the plumbing of the house. After splashing some cold water on her face, Sam feels a little better and walks over to the glass wall in the bedroom to try and figure out where she is now that the sun has risen. The view, while beautiful, is strange and totally unfamiliar to Sam and she isn't even sure she's still in the Hawaiian Islands. Several minutes later, a middle-aged woman in a gray dress with a white apron steps into the room carrying a tray of food. The woman will not meet Sam's eyes of answer any of her questions, and does not speak the entire time she is in the room. When she leaves, Sam lifts the cover on the plate and finds bacon, eggs, and toast along with coffee, orange juice and water on the tray. Deciding that she needs to eat something and praying that there are no drugs in the food or beverages, Sam sits down and begins to eat as her mind races to figure out a way to get out of her current situation. . .

The Five-0 team and SEALs are on the deck of the Coast Guard Cutter regrouping after their second dive and the mood is grim. Tony was the last one to the surface and he brought Sam's cover up with him. No one has spoken since Tony placed the cover on the deck, but Steve doesn't seem to share the unspoken feeling that Sam is gone with the others.)

"Okay, all this proves is that Sam was on the _Corsica_ at some point recently."

"Steve, if Sam was on that yacht when it sank, chances are her body was carried out to sea. I think we need to . . . "

"Sam IS NOT dead!"

"Steve, ."

"No! Sam's not dead, Chin! I'd _know_! _I. Would. Know!_"


	73. Chapter 73

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 12, 2011**

(The vehemence in Steve's voice causes everyone to look up at him and no one speaks for a few moments. The sorrowful expressions on most everyone's face says it all; they think Sam was on the yacht when it sank and that she went down with the boat and is lost to them. Danny, however, steps up to the plate.)

"Steve's right; Sam's not dead, and, yes, he _would_ know. Think about it. Chin, you knew something was wrong with Lana before you found out she had been in that accident. Kono, you had those dreams about Tony being in trouble before Eric was born. So, yeah, I'm pretty sure Steve would know if Sam was . . . You should all be ashamed of yourselves for having so little faith. I mean, we don't have any evidence that Sam went down with that boat, only that she was on it at some point in time. We need to get back to the base and see if Mike has made any progress in finding out who owned the _Corsica_. We know the Kasavich brothers are behind this, but, if we find out who owned the boat, we can also find out if they have any properties where they might have taken Sam."

(The looks of sadness on the faces of everyone except Steve have changed to ones of hope and Steve is actually smiling at Danny. Turning to the cutter's skipper, Steve asks him to take them to Pearl ASAP and then asks the Captain of the first Coast Guard vessel on the site to continue searching for any other evidence. . . .

It's been an hour since Sam ate the food that was brought to her and she has felt nothing unusual, so the food was obviously not drugged much to her relief. Sam has been checking the room for hidden cameras and microphones, but has found nothing so far. Of course the ceiling is very high so that's probably where the monitoring equipment is located if there is any. The door to the bedroom is locked and so is the door to the balcony. There is not television or telephone in the room but there are several hard-backed books lying around on the few small tables in the room. The sound of a key turning in the lock gets Sam's attention and she turns toward the door and lifts her chin determined to be strong no matter what. . .

Mike is looking at some information on a computer terminal when the team from Five-0 and Tony's SEALs pile into the room followed closely by Adm. Henderson. The expression on Mike's face is hard to decipher, but it clears somewhat when he sees the determination on the faces of his sons-in-law.)

"Found anything, Mike?"

"As a matter of fact, Steve, I have. . . The _Corsica_ is registered to a man by the name of Gabriel Miller who just happens to be the Chief Financial Officer for a Wall Street investment firm and hasn't been to Hawaii in six months. He was surprised when F.B.I. agents from the New York office paid him a visit to let him know his yacht had sunk in the Pacific Ocean. According to the information from their interview with Miller, no one had permission to use the boat."

"Chin, you and Kono head over to the marina and talk to the manager, and get any surveillance footage you can get your hands on for the _Corsica's_ slip. Danny, see if you can follow up with the U.S. Attorney's office on the warrant to compel Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich to submit to teleconference interviews. I want to talk to those bastards, and I want to talk to them now!"

(The door to the bedroom opens to admit the woman who brought the breakfast tray to Sam and she takes her time putting everything back on the tray. Sam walks closer to the woman and, again, tries to engage her in conversation.)

"Please, tell me where I am. Whose house is this?"

(The woman's eyes dart quickly to Sam and then back to her task, but she does respond to Sam in a soft voice.)

"Senora, you are on a small unchartered island approximately eighty miles Southwest of Oahu. I do not know who owns this house, but Senorita Andrews is the only person I've seen here except for the regular staff and the guards."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Rosa. I have been the housekeeper here since Senorita Andrews hired me six years ago."

"Rosa, how many other people work here? How many guards are there?"

"There are three maids and a gardener, but there are many guards."

"How many?"

"At least thirty; most are here at the house, but there are some all over the island. Senora, there are some clothes in the closet that are your size. If you would like to take a shower and change, I will see that your uniform is cleaned and pressed."

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable taking a shower, Rosa."

"Would you. . . Would you feel more comfortable if I were to remain here, in this room, Senora? I could make your bed, straighten up while you are in the shower. I don't mind. . . I . . I don't know why you have been brought here, Senora, but I know that all the other previous guests of Senorita Andrews have. . Gone away after a few weeks."

" 'Gone away'?"

"Disappeared. . In the night. I live in a small house a half mile from here. They would be here when I would leave for the day and the next morning, they were gone. I do not want to see you disappear. I do not want to see you separated from your baby."

"How do you know that Ms. Andrews plans to separate me from my baby?"

"I. . I overheard her talking on the phone. She said that, once your baby is born, it will be sent to Irina as planned and you would disappear."

(Sam searches the woman's eyes and decides there is no deception there. She touches the woman's arm and offers her a small smile.)

"Gracias, Rosa. I think I will take a quick shower and change into something clean and more comfortable. . . Does Ms. Andrews plan on sedating me again?"

"I do not know, Senora, but I told her that she should not give anything because it would hurt your baby."

"Gracias, again, Rosa. I'll only be a few minutes."

(The woman watches Sam walk into the bathroom and close the door and crosses herself as she prays she is not asked to do anything that will cause harm to the pretty Senora or her baby.)


	74. Chapter 74

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 13, 2011**

(Libby, having spent the night with Caroline and baby Eric, is in the kitchen just pulling bacon and eggs out of the refrigerator when the doorbell rings. Caroline, coming out of her and Danny's bedroom, says she'll get it and is a little surprised when she opens the door to find Beth Newton and Melanie Michaels standing on her porch. Inviting the ladies into the den, Caroline picks little Eric Montgomery up from his portable crib and throws a cloth diaper over her shoulder before accepting a bottle from her mother. Libby knows instantly why the wives of two of Tony's SEALs are there and she smiles at the two younger women.)

"You girls are just in time for breakfast."

"Oh, no, Mrs. Thrasher, we didn't come for breakfast. We just wanted to let you and Caroline know that, well, we're all aware of what's going on with Sam and. . . Well, we're going to take care of feeding all of you until she gets home."

"You girls are sweet, but you really don't have to do that, you know."

"Yes, Ma'am, we do. Sam took care of all of us when our husbands deployed with her husband. Now we want to take care of her family and you all have to allow us to do so. You know how it is, Mrs. Thrasher, SEALs stick together but SEAL wives are the real glue which holds the family together. None of us can imagine what Cmdr. McGarrett or the rest of you must be going through right now, but we're going to be here for all of you until this is over. That's just the way it is, Ma'am. Now, where would you like us to set-up the WCC?"

" 'WCC'?"

" 'Wives' Command Center, Caroline. Ladies, I believe we should do that at Sam's and Steve's. My son-in-law probably won't even know we're there, but I think the company will be good for him. Adm. Thrasher and I will be staying there until Steve brings Sam home."

(Beth and Melanie exchange somewhat puzzled glances and Libby explains herself.)

"You don't think that, once they've located Sam, Steve's just going to sit back and let someone else go get her, do you?"

(Danny, having just ended a call, walks over to the area of the room where Steve is looking over Tony's shoulder at something on the flat screen monitor. Steve isn't going to like what Danny has to tell him one bit and Danny steels himself for the storm that's about to rage within the room.)

"Steve, I just got off the phone with Rick Baker at the U.S. Attorney's Office. Claudia Andrews has filed injunctions in Federal Court prohibiting anyone from Five-0 from contacting either of the Kasavich brothers let alone interviewing them. Baker says we can't do anything until a Federal Judge rules on the injunctions but he's going to try and get them moved to the top of the docket."

"Does this guy know what Sam left on her computer?"

"Yeah, I sent him a copy of the print-out. Problem is Sam only left initials not names. Ms. Andrews could argue that 'A' and 'D' could stand for names other than 'Alexei' and 'Dimitri'."

"Damn it, I need to talk to them! Stay on it, Danny!"

(Mike pulls Steve off to the side and lowers his voice as Chin and Kono return from the marina.)

"Steve, you're exhausted, you're strung so tight you're about to snap, and you need a break."

"I can't take a break, Mike! My wife is out there somewhere in the hands of people who won't even blink before they kill her! I have to find Sam!"

"You can't do that if you're head isn't on straight, Son! She may be your wife, but she's my daughter and I want to find her just as badly as you do; but we both have to face the fact that it's going to take some time. Now, you and I are heading over to your house and the least you're going to do is take a hot shower, change clothes and eat something. I'd prefer it if you tried to get some sleep but I know that's not going to happen. Libby called to let me know that she, Caroline, and the baby are already at your place along with the rest of the wives and they've already set-up a 'WCC', so go on and talk to Chin and Kono and then we're leaving; and make sure you tell Kono and Tony where their son is before we leave."

(Steve stares at his father-in-law for a few moments and even allows the thought of refusing to cross his mind before he sees the look in Mike's eyes and knows that _Adm. Thrasher_ will make it an order if necessary. Sending Mike a look that says they're going to revisit this later, Steve moves to intercept Chin and Kono as does Danny.)

"Get anything from the manager at the marina?"

"Yeah. The _Corsica_ left the marina at 7:15 last night headed out to open sea according to the night manager, and . . . We have digital video. Just let me pull it up."

(Moments later, a video pops up on the screen showing Sam and Agent Mark Andrews walking down the pier and boarding the yacht. It is more than obvious that Andrews is holding a gun on Sam and that, although she appears to be okay, she is obviously under duress. After the two board the yacht, they disappear down below and Andrews returns, alone, about five minutes later. He then takes the yacht out of the marina and disappears. Steve feels a little spark of hope after seeing his wife was moving under her own power and turns to his three teammates.)

"Okay, so we know Sam was okay when she got on that yacht and Andrews was with her. None of the three bodies they found was Andrews so he and Sam had to have gotten off the yacht before it sank. The question is, where did they go? Adm. Henderson, can we get satellite footage for the area of the Pacific where the _Corsica_ was found for the last twenty-four hours?"

"We can try, Commander. Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery, let's get to work on that and see what we can find."

(Knowing that it's going to take them a little while to accomplish this, Mike sends Steve a look that says, "Let's go!", and, after asking Danny, Kono, and Chin to continue trying to identify the three bodies found in the wreckage and to call him if they get anything, Steve heads out the door with his father-in-law. They are both quiet in Mike's car on the way to Sam's and Steve's but Mike can see the worry and fear eating away at the young man he's come to think of as a son. Steve lays his head back against the headrest of the passenger seat and Mike decides to let him get what little rest he can.)


	75. Chapter 75

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 13, 2011**

(Melanie Michaels happens to be walking through the living room at the McGarrett house when Mike pulls into the driveway and alerts everyone else to Steve's and Mike's arrival. Caroline, holding little Eric, and Libby meet the two men when they step through the front door. Libby's arms immediately go around her son-in-law when she sees him; her heart, already heavy with fear and worry for her daughter, wrenches painfully at Steve's haggard appearance. Libby knows that Steve is on the verge of a meltdown and, after hugging him tightly, sends him upstairs to take a shower and change clothes. Once he's done as she directed saying he'll only be ten minutes, Libby turns to Mike with an anxious expression.)

"Well?"

"Sam was taken from the base by Agent Mark Andrews of the United States Secret Service last night and then taken to a yacht. At 1930 hours last night, that yacht sank. They found the bodies of three men, who have yet to be identified, in the wreckage, along with Sam's cover. There was no sign of either Sam or Mark Andrews. We're trying to identify the three men and get satellite footage of the area where the boat sank now. Danny, Chin, Kono, and Tony are still at the base working on trying to find Sam, but Steve. . . Libby, that boy's come very close to losing it a couple of times. I've tried to convince him to get some sleep, even if it's only a combat nap, but he's being hard-headed about it. Said he was only coming home long enough to take a shower, change clothes, and grab something to eat."

"And you don't think you need some rest, as well, Mike? You've been involved in this since it began just as Steve has; you need some rest, too."

"Damn it, Libby, Sam's our daughter!"

"And she's Steve's wife. . . I brought you a fresh uniform and your shaving gear, so you march yourself right up those stairs and take a shower yourself, Mike Thrasher. We're staying in the guest room across the hall from the nursery, and don't you dare argue with me! Are we clear?"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am."

(And Mike heads upstairs without another word as his wife stands at the foot of the stairs with her arms crossed and a "don't mess with me" expression on her face. . .

Steve slowly walks into the bedroom he shares with Sam and is instantly overcome by a sense of despair. The nightgown Sam wore the last night she was home is still lying on the foot of their bed and Steve slowly picks it up and brings it to his face needing to smell her scent. Inhaling deeply, Steve's knees buckle and he slips to the floor clutching Sam's gown. His heart literally hurts and his vision blurs as tears fill his eyes. The physical pain he is experiencing is so strong that he nearly doubles over. Sitting on the floor with his back against their bed, Steve tries to take some deep breaths and get control of his emotions, but he's fighting a useless battle. Everything he's kept bottled up inside of him for the last twenty-four hours rushes to the surface; all of his anger, fear, pain, grief, and heartache. Giving in to the inevitable, Steve bows his head and allows the tears to come; soaking Sam's gown in the process. Steve loses all track of time as he sits there and thinks about the woman he loves more than life. He thinks about how soft her skin is, the way her whole face lights up when she smiles, the silkiness of her hair, the way just her touch can bring him great joy, the way they can communicate so well without a single word being spoken between them, and he desperately wants _his_ Sam back. . .

Walking to the guest room to follow Libby's orders, Mike's step slows when he hears the quiet sobs coming from Sam's and Steve's bedroom and he quietly pushes the door open. The sight of his son-in-law sitting on the floor with his back against their bed clutching Sam's nightgown and lost in his pain nearly rips Mike's heart right out of his chest. Knowing that Steve would not appreciate anyone seeing him like this, Mike softly pulls the door closed and heads to the guestroom with tears in his own eyes for both his daughter and son-in-law. . .

The door to the McGarrett's bedroom is still closed fifteen minutes later when Mike walks back by on his way downstairs but he doesn't stop. Libby looks up as her husband, dressed in a fresh uniform, his still dark hair slightly wet from his shower, walks into kitchen and kisses her on the cheek.)

"Where's Steve, Mike? I thought surely he would be downstairs before you. Maybe one of us should go up and check on him."

"No! . . . No, Libby, leave the boy alone; he needs a little time to himself."

"And you know this how?"

"Just. . . Trust me, Libby."

"What do you know that I don't, Mike?"

"He's . . . It's all caught up with him, Libby. I think maybe it happened when he walked into their bedroom, but, trust me; he would not appreciate either one of us going up there right now. He'll be all right."

"How bad is it?"

"Bad, but it's something he needed to do; needed to get out of his system. Now that he has, he won't let anything get into his way until he finds Sam and brings her home."

"Are you sure he's okay, Mike?"

"He will be, Libby, he will be."


	76. Chapter 76

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 14, 2011**

**A/N: Hello, everyone. I received some private messages who wanted to see a different kind of Steve "whump", so I tried to illustrate his inner pain and suffering in the last chapter. Don't think I quite gave you what you wanted, though, because I've only received a couple of messages commenting on chapter 75. If you'll be more specific, I'll give it the old college try! Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Michelle**

(Mike walks on into the kitchen to fix himself a plate from the large array of different foods the wives of the SEALs have prepared but Libby stands at the bottom of the stairs looking up toward the second floor with a worried expression on her face. She is having an inner debate with herself as to whether or not to follow Mike's advice and leave Steve alone, but decides to remain downstairs when she hears the shower running upstairs. She looks over her shoulder and sees that Mike is sitting at the table in the kitchen eating and walks in the room to take a seat across from her husband. The expression on Mike's face is one Libby hasn't seen in a long time and it worries her greatly.)

"He'll be all right, Libby. He just needs a little time to himself."

"I just hope Sam is all right. Are we going to get her back, Mike?"

"What kind of question is that, Libby? Of course, we're going to het her back!"

"Do you even know why this Secret Service agent abducted her? . . . Mike? . . . . Mike, answer me!"

"It's the damned Kasavich family again."

"The Kasavich family? I thought those two brothers were in jail!"

"They are, but, apparently, there are other people still out there who work for them and are doing their bidding."

"Oh my God, Mike, those people will kill Sam!"

(Neither of them have seen or heard Steve come down the stairs until his voice, once again, clear and strong rings out in response to Libby's statement as he walks into the dining room. Steve has obviously taken a shower and is wearing clean clothes and there is no trace of his earlier breakdown visible anywhere.)

"They are NOT going to kill Sam, Libby! As soon as Mike and I grab some dinner, we're heading back to the base. We're going to find Sam, I'm going to go get her, and I'm bringing her home. And, Mike, if you or Adm. Henderson want to try and stop me because, technically, I'm still on active duty with the Navy, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disobey orders for the first time in my life. Even if I have to do this by myself, _I'm going after Sam and no one's going to stop me!_"

(Steve's voice is calm, level, and strong and he is once again the big, bad Navy SEAL and head of the Governor's Task Force. He's not frowning nor scowling, but there is an expression of quiet determination on his face that leaves no doubt that he means every word he says. Steve calmly walks into the kitchen, picks up a plate, and starts loading it with food while Mike stares after him with a look of shocked surprise on his face. Libby, however, has a pleased smile on hers.)

"Well, Adm. Thrasher, I believe our son-in-law has gotten over the rough spot he was experiencing and is quite ready to run the op at hand. I wouldn't dawdle over my dinner if I were you because Steve's going to be ready to go back to the base as soon as he's finished eating and I don't believe he's going to be inclined to wait for you if you're not finished. I'm just going to go and get some of those young ladies in the kitchen to help me put together some food for you to take back to the base with you."

(And Libby gets up and walks into the kitchen leaving Mike with his mouth hanging open. Libby steps through the door and stops instantly. Steve has set his plate on the counter and is just taking little Eric Montgomery from Caroline. In mere moments, the baby is being cradled comfortably and Steve is giving Eric a bottle as he speaks to the baby in a very matter-of-fact voice.)

"Hey, little buddy. I'm sorry that you haven't seen your Mommy and Daddy in a while, but they're helping Uncle Steve find Aunt Sam, and just as soon as we find out where she is, Uncle Steve and your Daddy and some other SEALs are going to go get her and bring her home. Not to worry, little guy, we're going to bring McBaby home, too, so you'll still have a new playmate in a few more weeks. I'm going to send your Mommy and Daddy over here a little later on to spend some time with you, okay?"

(The baby makes a gurgling noise and smiles up at Steve and every woman in the room just melts as Steve expertly shifts the baby to one shoulder and gently pats his back until he burps rather loudly. Caroline, a feeling of comfort coming over her, takes the baby from Steve, sends her brother-in-law an encouraging smile, and tells him to go sit down and eat before his dinner gets cold. Returning Caroline's smile with a small one of his own, Steve picks up his plate and heads back into the dining room where he sits down in the seat Libby vacated and proceeds to eat. Twenty minutes later, Steve and Mike head back to the base and Mike looks over at Steve as they're stopped at a traffic light.)

"You won't have to disobey any orders, Son. I believe you've finally gotten your head on straight, and I have every confidence that, once we find Sam, you'll go get her and bring her home. And don't worry about Allen Henderson; he'll be good with any op plans I approve."

"Thanks, Mike, and. . . Thank you for keeping Libby downstairs earlier. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Son, never apologize for having feelings and caring about people, and don't ever apologize for loving my daughter."


	77. Chapter 77

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 14, 2011**

(On her fourth day of captivity, Sam wanders aimlessly around the huge bedroom where she is being held captive in a state of sheer frustration. She is about to go stir crazy with nothing but a few books to pass the time, and fear and worry for herself and McBaby are eating away at her. Her only visitor has been Rosa and she has only come into Sam's room two or three times a day to bring her meals and straighten up. Although Rosa is always very polite, she doesn't say much and Sam suspects it's because she's afraid of being overheard by someone. Thankfully, the sedatives Sam was given don't seem to have harmed the baby as McBaby has been kicking up a storm and that is the only thing that's kept Sam from falling into a deep well of despair. The sound of the key turning in the lock alerts Sam that someone's coming into the room and she turns to face the door. Rosa opens the door and leaves it open instead of closing it behind her as she usually does. She offers Sam a small smile of encouragement.)

"Good morning, Senora. Senorita Andrews has left the island and has given permission for you to leave your room; you may even sit out in the garden if you like and enjoy the sunshine. There is also a large collection of DVD's if you would like to watch a movie."

"I see. Where did Ms. Andrews go, Rosa?"

"I do not know, but she said she would not be back for a while and that I was to take care of you until her return."

"Rosa, do you have a cellular phone?"

"Why would I need a cellular phone, Senora? Everything I need is supplied to me by Senorita Andrews and I have no family."

(Sam's hopes are dashed by the housekeeper's words, but she can't give up.)

"Listen to me, Rosa. Claudia Andrews works for a very powerful family of international arms dealers; the Kasavich family. Ms. Andrews brought me here because I was involved in putting Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich in prison for the rest of their lives as was my husband. Ms. Andrews plans to keep me here until my baby is born and then she's going to send my child to Russia to Irina Kasavich, an aunt of Dimitri's and Alexei's to raise as a Kasavich. She plans to send me into the human slave market in the Orient. I don't intend to allow her to do either of those things, but, if she drugs me again, there's not going to be much I can do about it. I need your help, Rosa. Surely there's some way you can contact someone off the island."

"I . . . I do not think so, Senora. There are phones here in the house, but they have been turned off while you are here."

"Then how do you contact Ms. Andrews and let her know when you need food or other supplies?"

"I do not. There is a boat that comes from another island twice a week and brings those things."

"A boat. What kind of boat? How big is it? How many people are usually on the crew? Are there any guards who make the trip to and from the island on the supply boat?"

"I do not know, Senora! Please, I . . . I cannot help you! I cannot!"

(And Rosa is out the door before Sam can say a word. Tears quickly fill her eyes as desperation begins to take control of her. She doesn't have much time left and needs to figure out a way to get off this island before she goes into labor. Taking a deep breath and getting her emotions under control, Sam steps outside of the room for the first time in days and goes in search of Rosa. There are guards stationed throughout the house and they are heavily armed, but no one approaches her or attempts to keep her from moving about. . .

Libby stands on the back deck of the McGarrett's house drinking a cup of fresh coffee as she watches the sun rise over the ocean. Sam has been missing for five days now and they are no closer to finding her than they were the night she disappeared. The McGarrett's house has, once again, become "bad guy central" for several reasons; the primary one being that it was the only way to convince Steve to get some rest. As it is, he hasn't slept in his and Sam's bedroom since she was abducted preferring to get what little sleep he can on the sofa in the living room. His excuse has been that he wants to be close by if any new information comes in either by phone or computer, but Libby strongly suspects the real reason he won't sleep in the bedroom, in the bed he shares with Sam is because he can't; not without Sam. The three men whose bodies were found in the yacht's wreckage have not yet been identified; their fingerprints are not in any database and there were no identifying papers on them when they were found. Mark Andrews seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth just as has Sam, and there is still no word on the ruling from a federal judge regarding teleconference interviews with the Kasavich brothers. Everyone is exhausted, short-tempered, and frustrated and worried beyond words. Quite simply, they are all quietly going mad; all except Steve, Tony, and the rest of the SEALs. Those gentlemen are quietly gathering equipment, checking it, and running different assault and search and rescue scenarios at the SEALs' training facility on the base modifying their tactics somewhat because of Sam's advanced pregnancy. There is an air quiet determination about every one of the eight men as well as a steely determination and confidence that infuses those around them with hope.)


	78. Chapter 78

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 14, 2011**

(After Rosa refused to answer Sam's questions and fled the room she wouldn't speak to Sam at all unless it was absolutely necessary and Sam fears that she has blown the only chance she might have had to get off the island. It has been three days since Rosa ran from the room and Sam realizes that she's been on the island exactly one week. One week in which she's thought of Steve every, single waking moment and longed to hear his voice, feel his touch, and see his beautiful eyes. One week in which she's lived in fear that what Claudia Andrews will be able to carry out her threats. One week in which she has awakened from nightmares in which her baby is literally torn from her arms. Sam is perilously close to an emotional breakdown and is finding it harder and harder to keep the tears at bay. Standing at the glass outer wall of the room where she sleeps, Sam sees the sunlight dancing off the blue waters of the Pacific and she cannot stop the tears that form in her eyes and slide down her cheeks. Once she starts crying, she is unable to stop and it isn't long before Sam is sobbing mightily. She's crying so hard that she doesn't hear the door open or realize that anyone is in the room with her until she feels a gentle hand touch her shoulder. Jerking around, Sam sees Rosa through her tear-filled eyes, and the expression on the woman's face is one of compassion.)

"Senora, please do not weep so. You must not be so distressed; it will cause problems with your baby!"

"What do you expect me to do? I was abducted at gunpoint by Claudia Andrews' brother, drugged and brought to wherever the Hell _this_ is, and am being held against my will! When I go into labor, that bitch is going to have me drugged again so she can steal my baby and send him or her to another bitch in Russia who's going to raise my child and poison its' mind against its' father. She's going to pump me full of drugs and send me to some God-forsaken Hell hole on the other side of the world to be sold as a slave in the Orient, and no one will help me! . . No one!"

(And Sam dissolves into tears again as she sags against the wall and slides down to the floor holding her baby bump protectively. Seeing the beautiful young woman so distraught touches something inside the older woman that she thought was long dead and she pushes down her fear and crouches down in front of Sam.)

"Senora, please, think of your baby!"

"I _am_ thinking of my baby! . . You said you had no family so you wouldn't understand, but I can't let her take my baby! I WON'T her take my baby!"

"I _do_ understand, Senora."

"But you said. ."

"I said I have no family _now_; but I did once. A husband and two sons."

"Where are they now, Rosa?"

"Dead. They were caught in a gun battle between rival drug lords in Columbia returning from the market. My sons were only three and five."

"Oh, Rosa."

"After they were killed, I returned to America to my parents, but there was no work so I went to San Francisco to try to find a job. My cousin was working for a maid service there and got me a job. I worked there for ten years until, one day, I was sent to clean Senorita Andrews' office. My parents died and my cousin was killed in a car accident so, when the Senorita offered me a full-time job here and promised me I would have my own house, I accepted. I did not know that Senorita Andrews was so evil when I agreed to work for her and now, I cannot leave. Senora, do you think the other women who were here and disappeared were sold into slavery?"

"I think that's a damned good possibility. . . Go back a minute. You said that your husband and sons were killed in Columbia and, after they died, you returned to America."

"Si, I was born in America. My parents were migrant farm workers in Southern California."

"You're . . You're an American citizen?"

"Si."

"Rosa, if you help me, I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to get you out of here, too! Please, Rosa, I can't do this alone!"

(The older woman is very frightened and appears to be unsure of herself for a few moments, but Sam's tears and pleading expression finally resolve her indecision.)

"I will help you, Senora."

"Thank God! Can you get a message to someone you trust who has a telephone? Maybe you could send a message with someone on the crew of the supply boat?"

"No!. . No, Senora, I trust no one. . . Several of the guards have cellular phones. I . . . I will try to get access to one for a few minutes and call someone to help you."

"Do you have something I can right a number on?"

"Write it on my hand, Senora. That way, I can wash it away and no one will be able to find it after I've made the call."

"All right. This is my husband's cellular number; his name is Steve McGarrett. Tell him where we are, tell him how many guards there are on the island and where they usually are, and tell him. . .(and Sam's voice breaks on her next words). . Tell him that Sam loves him; forever and always."

" 'Sam', Senora?"

"It's short for Samantha; it's my name."

"I will make the call as quickly as I can, Senora Sam. I will let you know when I have spoken with your husband. Please, do not cry any more. It is not good for you or your baby."

"Thank you, Rosa. . And, Rosa? Please be careful."


	79. Chapter 79

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 15, 2011**

(The hour is late and the McGarrett house is quiet as Mike Thrasher and Danny Williams stand out in the front yard waiting for Caroline to come outside so she and Danny can head home for the night. Sam's been missing for eight days and every lead they've had has ended in a brick wall. The federal judge granted Claudia Andrews' request for an injunction refusing Five-0 the opportunity to interview Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich, and that was a serious blow to them all. Other than a tightening of his jaw, however, Steve didn't react in any way except to ask Kono to attempt to get in touch with Claudia Andrews again. They have made several attempts only to be told by her secretary that she was either in court of away from the office. Steve, Tony, and the other SEALs have been repeatedly running drills so many times that they can practically do them in their sleep. They're ready; all they need now is Sam's location. Steve still won't sleep in his bedroom and Caroline and Libby are quietly straightening up after everyone else has gone for the evening. Steve, having nearly pushed himself to the point of physical collapse, is already stretched out on the living room sofa with one arm flung across his eyes and was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Libby steps outside with Caroline to tell Danny goodnight, and they walk down to the Camaro where Danny and Mike are talking.)

"I don't understand why Steve insists on sleeping in the living room. That sofa can't possibly be comfortable and he's got a perfectly good bed upstairs. He needs to get some rest."

"I understand why, Caroline."

"Yeah, Danny? Why?"

"Think about it, gorgeous. . . I can't understand why we can't get a handle on this."

"Has the forensics lab had any luck enhancing the satellite images from the night Sam was abducted?"

"No, Mike, but they're trying a different approach. . . If we could talk with one or both of the Kasavich brothers I think we could get an idea of where they may be keeping Sam."

"Judge ruled against us on that one, Son. We're going to have to find another way."

"Yeah, Mike, I know."

(Danny's gaze strays toward the house and his wife and in-laws know perfectly well what he's thinking: Steve can't keep up the insane pace he's set for himself for much longer. He spends every waking moment either training with the rest of the SEALs, on the computer trying to track down every, little piece of information he can on the Kasavich family and the Andrews siblings, or pacing out on the back deck. When someone manages to get him to try and rest, he flings himself on the sofa in the living room and falls into a restless sleep, tossing and turning and mumbling, until he finally gives up and gets up to start all over again. The longest he's slept at any one time, that any of them are aware of, has been four hours and he was mumbling in his sleep most of that time. Mike has awakened several times over the past few nights to hear sounds coming from downstairs and, upon investigating, has found Steve sitting at the computer or walking aimlessly around the house. Two nights ago, at three-thirty in the morning, Mike found Steve sitting on the sofa in the living room holding a picture of Sam that was taken at their wedding and just staring at it as if he could will her to appear. SEALs are trained to function on very little sleep, but Steve is nearing a point where even Mike is beginning to worry. On top of trying to help his son-in-law and help find his daughter, Mike is also trying to cope with his own grief and senses of loss and helplessness as well as comforting his wife and other daughter. If Mike could get his hands Dimitri and/or Alexei Kasavich, Mark Andrews, or his sister, Claudia, he would put his hands around their necks and squeeze until they told him where Sam was and then he would finish the job. The thought that he could deliberately take another human life outside of his duty as a Naval Officer and outside the rules of engagement in combat doesn't surprise him in the least. Evil, sadistic people have _his daughter_, for God's sake, and, as a parent, he's willing to do whatever it takes to get her back safely. Sighing heavily, Mike hugs Caroline and pats Danny on the back as they leave and then puts an arm around Libby's shoulders as they slowly make their way back to the house. The subtle trembling in his wife's shoulders alert Mike to the fact that Libby is on the verge of an emotional meltdown and, quite frankly, he's surprised she's held herself together this long. Stopping just before they reach the door, Mike turns Libby toward him and enfolds her in his strong arms as she dissolves into tears.)

"Where is she, Mike? Where is our baby?"

"We'll find her, Libby. If it's the last thing I ever do, I swear to you that I will find Sam."

"The Kasavich brothers have exactly what they want; Steve and the rest of us are going insane and they're probably sitting in their prison cells laughing right now."

(And _that's_ when it hits Mike. The first part of the Kasavich brothers' long-term plan for revenge is to abduct Sam and deny Steve and her family her presence, but _how_ do they know their plan has been carried out? How do Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich _know_ that Steve and the rest of the family are truly suffering? Libby immediately feels Mike's body stiffening and lifts her head from his shoulder to look up at him through her tears. The expression on his face is one of deep concentration and a frown forms as his mind is racing.)

"What is it, Mike? . . . Mike?"

"Are they laughing, Libby?"

"What are you talking about?"

"_How_ do the Kasavich brothers know how any of us are reacting to Sam's disappearance? They're both locked up tight in prison cells and their lawyer has seen to it that we cannot contact them. Don't you think they would _want_ to see and talk to Steve to see how Sam's abduction is affecting him? Wouldn't they _want_ to see his misery for themselves?"

(Mike's words are beginning to make perfect sense to Libby. If part of the overall plan was to make Steve suffer, the Kasavich brothers _would_ want to talk to and see Steve. The fact that their attorney has kept that from happening doesn't make any sense . . . Unless they have someone watching Steve and possibly the rest of them, as well, and reporting back to the brothers. The only way that could happen is through their attorney, Claudia Andrews, and who better than to conduct covert surveillance than a trained Secret Service agent? Asking Libby to call Danny and have him call Kono and Tony and Chin and ask them to come back to the house immediately, Mike strides toward the house to wake Steve and tell him what he's thinking.)


	80. Chapter 80

**CHAPTER EIGHTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 15, 2011**

(Twenty minutes later, the McGarrett home is alive with activity as Five-0 members and SEAL wives converge on the house. Tony, having been alerted by Steve that someone may be watching the house, deployed the SEALs to several different locations where they can do recon of the area around the house; including two of the SEALs who are currently in a boat and on their way to the body of water immediately behind the McGarrett's. Beth Newton takes immediate charge of baby Eric when the Montgomerys arrive, and the other wives make sure there's plenty of coffee and snacks readily available as it appears it's going to be a long night. Steve, looking more alert and _alive_ than he has in days, is standing behind the chair in which Chin is sitting while working on the computer. After Mike told Steve what he was thinking, Steve did not hesitate to call Gov. Jameson and ask her to get them a subpoena for Claudia Andrews' cellular and office phone records. The Governor immediately agreed but reminded Steve that Five-0 had full means and immunity and to do whatever he thought necessary and _she_ would worry about the consequences later. Chin is attempting to obtain the records for Claudia Andrews' cellular service and get a detailed list of all of her incoming and outgoing phone calls for the past few months. The woman's main office is located in San Francisco, but she also has an office right there in Honolulu, and Danny and Kono are on their way there to meet officers from H.P.D. and search for anything that might help them locate Sam. Steve doesn't think the woman is stupid enough to leave anything incriminating in her office, but they need to cover every possibility. Tony is on Sam's laptop pulling up financial information on Claudia Andrews, and Mike is on the phone with Allen Henderson alerting him that the SEALs may need to mobilize at any time and will need helos for transport. Caroline and Lana, who came back with Chin, are helping the wives of the SEALs in the kitchen and Libby, for the first time in her life as a Navy wife, has absolutely nothing to do and she doesn't quite know what to do with herself. The baby's being taken care of, the food's being taken care of, and everyone is busy with their own specific tasks; except for Libby. With nothing else to do, Libby wanders out to the back deck where it's quiet and moves to the railing. Closing her eyes, she lifts her face slightly and the gentle breeze lifts her red-gold hair away from her face as she breathes deeply and tries to suppress the fear that is steadily rising inside of her. Libby has always been the strong one in any crisis, always made sure that she was there to give what comfort she could to others when they were afraid or hurting, always been the one to make sure that everyone was fed, children were cared for, family members were called, and, in the worst case scenario, helped new widows make the necessary arrangements to bury the flag-draped caskets of their husbands. She suddenly realizes that, in the past, she's always been too busy to worry about her own needs or fears, but now. . . Now, one of her children is missing. Looking up into the night sky, Libby wonders where her daughter is and if she's all right and the thought of Sam being out there somewhere in the hands of the Kasavich family terrifies her beyond words. .

Tony has succeeded in accessing Claudia Andrew's bank accounts and credit card information and the frown on his face deepens as he reviews that activity for the past several months.)

"Boss, Claudia Andrews has made two large withdrawals from a savings account within the past nine weeks; one for ten thousand dollars and the other in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars."

"Steve, there are several international call charges on her cellular phone bill for the past six months; all of them to St. Petersburg, Russia. I'm trying to trace the number now."

"Do the dates of the withdrawals line up with any of the calls to Russia?"

"Hang on . . . Yes. In fact, she either made or received several calls from the same number on both dates.

"Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich were both born in St. Petersburg. Their parents are both dead, but I believe their father's sister, Irina, still lives there."

"Just how many members of the Kasavich family are out there, Steve?"

"Irina Kasavich is the only living blood relative that I know of; she never married and has no children. Neither do Dimitri or Alexei."

"So, since Dimitri and Alexei are going to spend the rest of their lives in prison, then. . ."

"The Kasavich family disappears from the face of the Earth and all their evil with them. They have a lot of people still working for them, though, who consider themselves part of the Kasavich family, and they'll stop at nothing to do whatever Dimitri, Alexei, or Irina want."

"Steve, do you think Mark Andrews could have taken Sam to St. Petersburg?"

"It's possible, Kono, but I don't think so. Irina Kasavich is no fool. According to Intelligence sources, Irina disassociated herself from anyone connected to the Kasavich arms trade as soon as Alexei was arrested. I seriously doubt she would want to be involved in the abduction of an Officer in the United States Navy."

"Then maybe it's someone who worked for Alexei; one of his lieutenants who's behind this. If that's the case, Sam may be in Afghanistan."

"But, wouldn't the alphabets have picked up chatter about Sam if that were the case?"

"Not necessarily, Chin. The Kasavich family has supplied weapons to quite a few terrorist organizations over the course of the past few years and some, or all, of them might be willing to 'do a favor' for Dimitri or Alexei and keep it quiet."

"But you don't think Sam's in Afghanistan."

"No, Kono, I don't. I can't tell you why, but I think Sam's somewhere close."


	81. Chapter 81

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 16, 2011**

(The rest of the SEALs enter the house from both the front and back doors and everyone else looks up in surprise; especially when they see the grim expression on Senior Chief Tim Newton's face.)

"Found a bunch of minicams outside all around the house, Boss, front and back. I'd bet my next paycheck that this is how the Kasavich family's been keeping tabs on you. Think it would be a good idea if we 'sweep' the inside of the house as well."

(Danny still hasn't quite made the connection.)

"Are you saying someone's been watching this house?"

"Yeah, Danny, that's exactly what the Senior Chief's saying."

"Well, how did they install them? Where did they install them?"

"We found them in trees all around the property. As to how they put them up, anybody can put on a uniform for a power, water, or cable company employee and install one of these in broad, open daylight. We left them in place so whoever's watching won't know we've found them, but I'm pretty sure we can isolate the signals from the transponders and run a back trace. Michaels and Brandt are out there right now trying to pick up the specific frequency they're using."

"Sweep the house, Senior, and let me know if you find any of those damned things. Sam will have a fit if she finds out anyone even remotely connected to the Kasavich family has been inside our house. In fact, if you _do_ find anything, I believe I'll let you tell her when we find her."

"And here I thought you liked me, Sir."

(Steve sends a grin, the first real grin in days, in Senior Chief Newton's direction as he rounds on Kono and Danny.)

"You two find anything at Claudia Andrews' office?"

"Nothing that would help us find Sam. H.P.D.'s dusting for prints but I seriously doubt anyone of importance will pop."

(Out on the back deck, Libby is desperately trying to stop the tears that insist upon welling up in her eyes and rolling down her face. Casey Landry, the wife of one of the "new kids" on the SEAL team and the youngest of the wives at the tender age of twenty-two, has been watching Adm. Thrasher's wife through the kitchen window for quite some time and decides that someone should go outside and see about the lady. Looking around, Casey sees that everyone else is busy, so she steps out onto the deck and up to the railing next to Libby. Casey keeps her eyes straight ahead in an effort to allow Libby to the chance to gain some semblance of control, but she doesn't hesitate to speak right up.)

"Can I get you anything, Mrs. Thrasher? Some water, coffee, anything?"

"No, dear, but thank you for asking."

"Would you mind if I stayed out here with you for a little while, Ma'am? The activity has picked up inside and I guess I'm just not used to all of this."

"Of course I don't mind. You'll learn to cope with all this, and remember, you are never alone. SEAL wives are always there for one another."

"Yes, Ma'am, they are and I'd like to be here for you right now."

(Libby looks over at the younger woman with an expression of utter surprise on her face. _Well, Libby, this is certainly a night of firsts for you, isn't it? You've never had anyone, let alone a slip of a girl who's barely old enough to be married, offer __**you**__ comfort, have you?_ Libby's attempt to smile falls flat as her tears really start to flow at the younger woman's gentle words and compassionate expression, and she finds herself enfolded in Casey Landry's surprisingly strong embrace. The younger woman gently rubs Libby's back and murmurs soft, comforting words to her while Libby cries out all her grief, anger, and pain. Long minutes later, Libby's tears have almost stopped and she gently pulls back from the other woman. Wiping her face with her hand, Libby places her other hand on the young lady's shoulder and captures her gaze. The wisdom and caring Libby finds there comfort her greatly.)

"Casey, my dear, I wish I could put you in a recruiting ad; you are the absolute epitome of everything the wife of a Navy SEAL should be. Thank you; other than my husband, no one has ever done for me what you did tonight."

"I love my husband very much, Mrs. Thrasher, and I want to be the best wife to him that I can. Nick's a SEAL so that means I have to be the best SEAL wife possible, and . . . I know you're hurting, Ma'am, and I want to do whatever I can to ease your pain. I know that, should the need ever arise, you'll be right there for me, too."

"Absolutely, dear! . . . Your husband is a very lucky young man."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'd say Adm. Thrasher is a very lucky 'young' man, too."

(The two women share an understanding smile and Libby realizes that she does, indeed, feel better. Linking her arm with Casey Landry's, Libby heads for the kitchen door.)

(After leaving Sam's room, Rosa immediately went to the kitchen to be preparations for dinner. In addition to preparing meals for Sam, it is also her responsibility to prepare food for the twelve to fifteen guards who are responsible for guarding the house. The remainder of the guards eat at the large dormitory-style building a half mile from the main house where they sleep when not on duty. Normally, Rosa hates to have to prepare food for s


	82. Chapter 82

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 17, 2011**

**A/N: Okay, it's official: This site HATES me! A few days ago, I noticed that there were several spelling errors in some chapters, (which is nothing new; doesn't matter that it's correct in my computer), but then I noticed that, when Sam was needing something to put Steve's cellular number on for Rosa, the word "right" was substituted for the word "write"! I promise you that I typed it correctly when I wrote the chapter! Apparently, the site must have some kind of spell check, (that's obviously incorrect!), that it uses before it posts chapters. Now, the site has gone and cut off a chapter mid-word! Anyway, I'll stop ranting now and continue writing. Sorry, guys, just had to get that off my chest! Thank you all for reading and reviewing; you guys are the absolute best! Michelle**

(After leaving Sam's room, Rosa immediately went to the kitchen to be preparations for dinner. In addition to preparing meals for Sam, it is also her responsibility to prepare food for the twelve to fifteen guards who are responsible for guarding the house. The remainder of the guards eat at the large dormitory-style building a half mile from the main house where they sleep when not on duty. Normally, Rosa hates to have to prepare food for so many people, but at this particular moment, she doesn't mind at all. Ever since telling Sam that she would try to get her hands on one of the guard's cellular phones and call Steve, Rosa has been trying to figure out how to accomplish that task. An idea came to her as she was pulling out the spices and seasonings for the evening meal and she feels fairly confident that she will be able to make the phone call. There is a usual order of things when there is a "guest" in the house, and Rosa is praying that the guards stick to their routine. Usually, the guards at the house eat their dinner and then all but two of them leave the building for designated watch areas on the grounds. The two guards who remain, one in the front and one in the back, have specific areas outside the house, but still close, where they stand guard for the night. Rosa's plan is to put some of the sedative Claudia Andrews used on Sam in the two guards' food or water; not enough to keep them out for hours, but just enough to ensure that she will be able to slip one of their cellular phones from their pocket, make the call to Steve, and then replace the phone before the guard awakens. She sends up a silent prayer of thanks that the two guards who will be just outside the house for the night are both less than enthusiastic about their jobs; she has awakened both of them several times in the past when they've had guard duty at the house so neither of them will think anything strange should they waken and find her "hovering" over them. Confident that she will be able to call someone to help Sam, Rosa actually has a smile on her face and hums a happy, little tune as she prepares dinner. . .

(Chin has been busy, and, while the SEALs are "sweeping" the inside of the house for electronic surveillance equipment, he's been running several different searches on the computer. Danny and Caroline have stepped out onto the back deck for a few minutes, Mike, having seen Libby come in earlier looking suspiciously like she's been crying, has gone in search of his wife, and Steve, Kono, and Tony are sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Steve takes the opportunity to express his appreciation to Kono and Tony for their help.)

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you guys how much I appreciate you practically dropping everything to help me find Sam. I mean, I know we're all family, but it's a little more difficult for you guys to just jump in the car and go wherever because of Eric so. . . Thank you."

"It's not a problem, Steve. We love Sam, too, and there's no way we wouldn't be here. Besides, Eric's going to have to learn to expect the unexpected; especially with Tony being a SEAL."

"Hey, you're just as likely to be called out at any time as I am, K."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to be leaving the island as a general rule."

"That's true."

"Regardless, guys, it means a lot for you to be here; all three of you. The little guy helps keep me sane."

"Eric has that affect on most people. Maybe he'll stay all sweet and cute and cuddly and we can avoid the teenage rebellion."

"Wouldn't count on it, Tony. With us as parents, Eric's probably going to be a handful."

(Mike finds Libby upstairs in the nursery and she's wandering aimlessly around the room letting her hand trail over the stuffed animals sitting in various places. The expression on his wife's face is one that Mike hasn't seen in many years; the last time was when she suffered her fourth miscarriage. Stopping to lean in the doorway, Mike has to pause a moment before he can speak without his voice breaking.)

"We'll find her, Libby. We're starting to get some leads now that aren't dead ends, so it won't be long before our daughter is back home where she belongs."

"You have to find her, Mike. I cannot lose another child. _We_ cannot lose another child."

"And we won't. I told you; I'm going to find Sam if it's the last thing I ever do."

"I'm worried about the baby. We both know what the Kasavich brothers are capable of, and they would do anything, _anything_ to hurt Sam and Steve. What if. . . What if they've drugged Sam, or they're keeping her somewhere where it's too cold or too hot, or they're starving her, or, they're beating her, or . . . ?"

"Libby, Sweetheart, you can't do this to yourself. If the true goal of the Kasavich brothers is to make Steve and Sam, make all of us, suffer, they're not going to do any of those things. They'll want Sam and the baby alive and healthy so that they can taunt Steve; make him wonder and worry about where they are and whether or not they're okay. Sooner or later, they're going to make contact with us somehow and I'd be willing to bet that, when they do, they're going to include a video of Sam, some sort of proof of life. But, we're going to find her and Steve and Tony and the boys are going to go get her and bring her home before that happens."

"Please, Mike, please find our little girl."


	83. Chapter 83

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 17, 2011**

(Chin walks into the kitchen to get some coffee and the three people sitting at the table notice the frown on his face,)

"Chin, what's wrong?"

"I started thinking, why would Claudia Andrews make two large withdrawals recently, and, when I thought about the fact that she made and received several phone calls from St. Petersburg, Russia within days of those withdrawals, I had an idea. Maybe Claudia Andrews made a couple of trips to St. Petersburg to visit Irina Kasavitch and, maybe, she didn't want airline tickets or hotel reservations on her credit cards."

"As in, she didn't want any documentation that she traveled to St. Petersburg?"

"Yeah, Kono."

"Trips to St. Petersburg would be documented in her passport."

"Not if she was traveling under an alias."

"Does she have an alias?"

"None that I could find but that doesn't mean she didn't use one. I contacted Homeland Security and the TSA and sent them both a picture of Claudia Andrews. They're going to run the security videos for four days before and after the dates of the withdrawals from her account from the airports in San Francisco, Honolulu, Los Angeles and New York through facial recognition and see if they get a hit, and Homeland's contacting Interpol to check the footage from the airport in St. Petersburg. Problem is, this is going to take some time."

"Anything new on Mark Andrews?"

"No. You think he's with Sam?"

"Don't know but we need to find him. If he's not with her, he knows where she is, and we need to talk to Claudia Andrews."

"I've already talked with the San Francisco P.D. According to her housekeeper, she left there this morning to fly to New York and is supposed to be gone for a couple of weeks on vacation and her cellular phone is going straight to voice mail. I've also put out BOLOs out on her and Mark Andrews with every law enforcement agency world-wide."

"Okay. We need to know if either of the Andrews siblings own property anywhere and we also need to review the property holdings of Dimitri, Alexei, and Irina Kasavich and also any holdings purchased by any of their companies."

"That may take a while, Steve. The Kasavich empire stretches a long, long way."

"I know that, Chin, but we have to pursue every possibility."

(Rosa is pleased to see that all the guards have healthy appetites, particularly the two who will be guarding the house for the night; they have seconds and are the last two to leave the table. Confident that her plan will work, Rosa smiles and jokes with the two men as she gives both of them another piece of homemade apple pie. Praying that she has put enough of the sedative in the men's' food and coffee, Rosa cleans up the kitchen and then tells the two men that she will be staying at the house later than usual in order to make sure the laundry is done. As Rosa does this from time to time, neither of the men think anything of it and head outside. . .

An hour later, Rosa slips out of the house and makes her way toward the man watching the back of the house. Rosa has chosen him because she would take the path behind the house to get to her own home and her presence, should it be discovered, would be easier to explain. She hears the man before she sees him; his snores are loud enough to scare away a mountain lion. Rosa cautiously approaches the sleeping man and ever so carefully reaches into the pocket of his jacket. Carefully extracting his cellular phone, Rosa quietly makes her way into the dense undergrowth and moves far enough away from the house so as not to be overheard. She had thought about taking the cellular phone inside to Sam, but, it will be easier to explain why she has it if the man awakens; she'll simply tell him that she was on her way home and found it lying on the ground having obviously fallen out of his pocket. It would be much more difficult to explain if he found her with it inside the house. Dialing the phone number Sam wrote on her hand with trembling fingers, Rosa's gaze darts all around her while she waits for someone to answer. . .

Kono and Tony are on Sam's laptop trying to research the property holdings of the many companies owned by the Kasavich brothers but it's slow going as they have to plod through layer upon layer of legal red tape. Chin and Steve are on the desktop trying to trace both Claudia and Mark Andrews backgrounds and any and all aliases they may have used at any given point in their lives. This, too, is a very time-consuming task as it appears the Andrews siblings have lived in several different places in their lifetimes. Mike, having rejoined the group and been brought up to speed, and Senior Chief Tim Newton are both on their cellular phones contacting everyone they know either in Naval Intelligence or the F.B.I. Their goal is to uncover any information that would speed up the searches for Claudia and Mark Andrews. Danny, using Caroline's laptop which they brought over to the McGarrett's with them earlier and with Caroline's assistance, is checking in with Interpol and other European law enforcement agencies for updates. The other SEALs and their wives are either out on the back deck or down at the beach spending a little time together, and Libby is checking on little Eric. Steve, a frown of concentration on his face, is standing in typical Alpha-male stance just behind Chin's chair with his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes scan the information on the flat screen monitor. His frustration level is steadily rising but this has to be done. When his cellular phone rings, he pulls it from the belt clip and answers automatically.)

"McGarrett."

"Is the Steve McGarrett? Are you Senora Sam's husband?"


	84. Chapter 84

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 18, 2011**

"_**Who. Is. This? What do you know about my wife?"**_

(The vehemence in Steve's voice as well as his words gets the immediate attention of everyone in his general vicinity and all other activity and conversation stops as everyone's attention snaps to Steve. He is frowning fiercely and his voice is ice cold. Chin, on top of things as usual, immediately begins to initiate a trace.)

"Please, Senor McGarrett, I don't have much time. My name is Rosa Garcia and I am the housekeeper for Senorita Claudia Andrews at a large villa on an unchartered island eighty miles Southwest of Oahu. Your wife is here, and, do not worry Senor, your wife is fine, but you must come quickly. Once your baby is born, Senorita Andrews plans to send the baby to a woman in Russia and send Senora Sam into the slave markets of the Orient."

(There isn't a person in the McGarrett house who doesn't realize that whoever is on the other end of the phone call has just given Steve some news that has shaken him to the core. In less time than it takes to blink, every bit of the color has drained from Steve's face, his knees have all but buckled, and he frantically gropes for a chair. Tony quickly shoves one in Steve's direction and he sinks into the seat with his head down between his wide-spread knees.)

"Senor McGarrett? . . Senor! Please I must go before I am caught making this call! You must come at once and save Senora Sam!"

"Wait! . . I want to talk to my wife!"

"I cannot! Please, I must go!"

(The line goes dead and Steve, who has gotten some semblance of control, is instantly on his feet again and looking questioningly at Chin.)

"Chin, please tell me you were able to trace that call!"

"Not enough time to pinpoint an exact location but I've got it narrowed down. I'm going to try to refine the trace. Hang on."

"Who was that, Son? What did they say?"

"It was a woman claiming to be Claudia Andrews' housekeeper at a villa on an unchartered island eighty miles Southwest of here. She said Sam was fine, but. . . "

"But what, Son?"

(Steve, his eyes filling with tears again, looks at his father-in-law with pure anguish in his eyes.)

"She said that, once the baby is born, Claudia Andrews plans to send the baby to Russia, presumably to Irina Kasavich, and she wants to send Sam into the human slave market in the Orient."

(Steve's words shock everyone in the room and there is total silence for a few moments as everyone else absorbs what he said. Libby instantly goes pale and Casey Landry eases the older woman into a chair before Libby faints dead away. The SEALs all look like they want someone's blood, and the group from Five-0 all appear horrified. Caroline, her face pale and her whole body trembling, steps closer to Danny and is grateful that his strong arm immediately goes around her waist for support. Steve's voice was shaking, with anger and fear, with his last words, and Mike can literally see the inner struggle taking place in the younger man. That Steve would kill Claudia and Mark Andrews and the Kasavich brothers if he could get his hands on them at this moment is evident. Mike, himself, is having a very difficult time keeping his emotions under control, but he realizes that someone's got to keep a level head or they're never going to find Sam. Taking a deep breath to try and gain control, he starts snapping off orders.)

"Tony, please pull up the maps for a hundred mile radius of Oahu and see if you can find this unchartered island. Senior Chief Newton, you and your men make sure your equipment is ready to go. Caroline, make sure your mother's all right, and Steve, you and I need to have a little talk out on the deck."

(Steve, knowing exactly why Mike wants to talk with him alone, stands up and heads for the back deck so the two men can have some privacy. Now that the initial shock has passed, Steve is, once again, all business and he's determined that no one, including _Adm. Thrasher_, is going to stop him from going after his wife. Once they reach the deck and the door to the house is securely closed, Steve looks directly into Mike's eyes; his expression resolute.)

"I know what you're going to say, Mike, but, one way or the other, I'm going after Sam. I know she's your daughter and you love her, but she's my wife and the only woman I'll ever love, so, regardless of whether you think I'm fit to run this op or not, I'm going; with or without any help."

"Hold up, Son. I'm well aware that nothing and no one is going to stop you from going after Sam, but I want you to stop a minute and think about this. You don't have any idea who else is on that island or in that house besides Sam and this woman who called you. For all you know, you could be walking into a trap and. . .Sam may not be on that island, Steve. All I'm asking you to do is slow down and think this through. Let's see if Chin can narrow the possibilities for which island the call came from down and then get satellite pictures of the area. I'll call Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon and get permission to task a satellite to cover the area and get some infrared images. You and the boys need to know how many tangos you're going up against and it would be helpful if you knew that Sam was actually on the island and where she is in the house. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay, Mike, but I'm not going to sit around and wait long."


	85. Chapter 85

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 20, 2011**

(As soon as Rosa ends the call she realizes that she forgot to tell Senora Sam's husband how many guards there were on the island and, perhaps most importantly, give him the message from his lady. She has moved back toward where the guard is propped against a tree sleeping and can clearly see that he is not likely to awaken any time soon. Still, she doesn't want to risk waking him by placing another call, so she decides to send a text message to Senor McGarrett's phone number. Working quickly, Rosa sends the message and the erases both the phone call and the text from the phone so that the guard will not stumble upon them when he next uses his phone. Thanking her lucky stars that she has watched enough American television to know what to do, Rosa checks to make sure the information is gone and then creeps closer to the sleeping man. She manages to slip the phone back into the man's pocket and sneak back into the house before being discovered and quickly makes her way to Sam's room. . .

Steve and Mike have just walked back into the house when the alert tone indicating he has a text message sounds and Steve reaches for his phone. Quickly reading the message, he allows a grin to spread across his face.)

"Sam's on the island and she's alive! There are about thirty guards total on the island but half of them are usually in the bunk house, which is about half a mile south of the main house, when they're off-duty. No guards are inside the house unless they're designated to guard the exterior of the house and then it's only two guards to do a walk-through and eat."

"Just how do you know all this, boy genius? How do you know this Rosa woman isn't leading you into a trap?"

"Because, Danny, my wife loves me; forever and always!"

"Huh?"

'Rosa says Sam wanted her to give me a message. . .Read it for yourself; 'Sam loves you forever and always'. Sam trusts this woman, and my wife is an excellent judge of character. We have to trust her, too. I'm thinking we need to send in two, separate groups; one to take care of the guards in the bunk house and another to raid the main house and get Sam out. We split the SEAL team and Five-0 into two groups and insert by helos just off-shore. We can then take rubberized water craft in to the island and hit both the bunk house and the main house at the same time. If it turns out there's a place on the island where the helos can set down, great. If not, we'll extract either by Coast Guard Cutter or courtesy of the U.S. Navy if they have a ship close enough."

(Tony jumps into Steve's op plans.)

"There is, Boss. The U.S.S. Coral Seas is in the general area Chin was able to get a fix on from the earlier call."

"I was able to narrow the trace when Rosa sent the text, Steve. (He pulls up a map on the desktop.) The text message came from this island right . . . Here."

"Good job, Chin. Tony, contact the skipper of the Coral Seas and ask him to start heading for that island. Mike, can you have a couple of helos ready and standing by for us at the base? We need to do this before daybreak." 

"Agreed. I'll call Allen Henderson right now."

(Sam, standing by the exterior glass wall of the room, is fervently praying that Rosa can get a message to Steve and not get caught. The woman is the only person who has shown any semblance of kindness toward Sam since she was abducted and Sam does not want any harm to come to the woman. If Rosa is caught trying to help Sam, there is no doubt that she will be killed for her efforts. When she hears footsteps coming down the hall toward the door to the room, Sam experiences a moment of fear. It is extremely late and no one has ever come to her room this late before; not even Rosa. Steeling herself to face whoever is approaching, Sam turns away from the view of the moonlit Pacific Ocean and squares her shoulders. When Rosa, looking a little pale and somewhat nervous quickly enters the room and closes the door, Sam breathes a small sigh of relief. Quickly crossing the room to stand in front of the housekeeper, Sam realizes that the woman is scared half to death.)

"Rosa, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I . . I spoke with your husband, Senora. I told him what Senorita Andrews was planning and said that he should come and get you immediately. I also told him about the guards and that you and your baby were all right, and. . . I gave him your personal message."

"Thank God! Listen to me Rosa. My husband is a U.S. Navy SEAL and I'm positive he'll be bringing some more SEALs with him along with members of Hawaii Five-0; the Governor's special task force. All of these people know what they're doing and, now that you've told them about the guards, they'll have a plan to get us both out of here safely. But, there's a good chance that there's going to be some gunfire exchanged between the guards and the good guys. I want you to stay right here with me until this is all over. I can keep you safe if you do exactly as I say, all right?"

"Si, Senora, I understand, but Senorita Andrews is very powerful. The guards. . . The men who work for the Senorita as guards on this island are dangerous. They . . . They can be very brutal. I have seen what they can do to women who do not obey the Senorita's orders. If your husband and his friends do not come, or, if they come but they are not successful, we will both die."

"We're not going to die, Rosa! My husband is going to come and get us and then you're going home to Hawaii with us. What you choose to do after that is up to you, but I have an idea that I think would be acceptable to you."

"An idea, Senora?"

"Yes, but now is not the time to discuss it. We'll have plenty of time to talk once we're off this God-forsaken island. Now, I'm fairly certain that my husband and his friends will be here before daybreak, so we won't have too much longer to wait for our freedom."


	86. Chapter 86

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 20, 2011**

(Twenty minutes later, Mike, who had been in the kitchen getting more coffee while waiting for a return phone call from Adm. Henderson, rejoins the group to find both Chin and Caroline working at the computers while the SEALs and team from Five-0 are gearing up for their op. Not a single one of the SEALs' wives looks the least bit frightened although they are slightly tense as they watch their husbands and the others putting on their tactical vests and check their numerous weapons. Libby, back in control of her emotions once again, smiles encouragingly and approvingly at the other wives; especially the three newest members of "the club", as she looks around the room. Libby is also very proud of Caroline and how much help she's been in this crisis, and stops behind the chair in which her daughter is sitting and rests her hands on Caroline's shoulders. Caroline, however, doesn't even notice her mother's presence as satellite images of the island where Sam is being held begin to pop up on the screen of her laptop.)

"Steve! I'm starting to get a real-time feed from the satellite; infra-red imaging should be up anytime. . . . Here we go!"

(As many people as can possibly crowd in immediately move to the area behind Caroline and Libby gracefully steps back so that those leaving on the op can see. Three buildings, one smaller than the other two appear on the screen and Caroline enters a few commands that allow the satellite to zoom in and heat signatures to be detected. One of the larger buildings, obviously the bunk house, shows twelve figures apparently lying on bunk beds and unmoving; these figures represent the guards who are off-duty and are apparently asleep. The smaller of the three structures appears to be empty, and there are numerous heat signatures scattered in the jungle-like undergrowth around the main house. There are two unmoving heat signatures on the grounds of the house and two inside the house; both in the same room. Even though he can't be one hundred percent positive that one of those figures is Sam, Steve's heart rate jumps with hope that he'll soon have his wife back in his arms.)

"Looks like Rosa told you the truth, Son. Helos are waiting for you at Pearl."

"Yeah, Mike, it does, thank God. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let's go get my wife."

(Everyone who is going on the op heads outside to their vehicles, but Libby stops Steve before he can head out the door and looks up at him with concern in her eyes,)

"I know you're eager to get Sam back, dear, but I want you to promise me you'll be very careful. Although it appears that things are exactly as that woman said, we both know that the situation could change at any given moment. You be very careful, Son!"

"Count on it, Libby. I'm not about to do anything that's going to put Sam, or anyone else, in any more danger. I'll bring her home, Libby, I promise."

"I know you will, Steve, and we'll have breakfast ready and waiting for all of you when you get back."

(Libby, fighting to keep her tears at bay, hugs Steve very tightly for a moment before kissing him on the cheek and sending him out the door with an encouraging smile. Casey Landry, sending _Libby_ an encouraging smile, steps up to the older woman and puts an arm around Libby's shoulders to offer comfort and support. Both women know that those left behind are going to be in for a few tense hours of worrying and waiting, but they also trust and have complete confidence in their ohana. . .

When they reach the base and the flight line, the group divides; Steve, Senior Chief Newton, Petty Officers Nick Landry, and Matt Brandt, along with Danny and Kono make up one group while Tony, Petty Officers Mark James, Joe Michaels, and Peter Sanchez and Chin make up the other. Adm. Henderson is waiting for them not far from two helos and he has been thoughtful enough to have a detachment of Marines for each group waiting, as well. The Admiral tells them that the on-board computers on each helo is already connected to the satellite images of the island so that they will be aware of any changes in the positioning of the guards and the two people inside the house as they approach their insertion point. Thanking the man, the two groups quickly board the helos and are in the air. Danny is the only one among the numerous people on the op to look just a little green around the gills at the thought of jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter, even though it will be hovering about five or six feet from the surface of the water, and into a watercraft. He doesn't say anything, though. Getting Sam back is very important to him; especially since he knows that the alternative will hurt a great many people he loves. They have reviewed the op plan numerous times and arranged a communications system, so there is nothing else to be discussed and they are all quiet on the way to the insertion point. Steve is sitting with his eyes closed, but there is tension in his face and Danny wishes there was something he could do to help his partner, but he knows that the _only_ thing that's going to help Steve is to have his wife back safe and sound. If this rescue attempt goes wrong, if, God forbid, Sam doesn't come home, alive and well and the baby, too, it will _kill_ Steve, and Danny doesn't know if he will be able to handle _that_. . .

Back at the McGarrett's, Caroline hasn't been sitting around wondering and worrying but has been working on her laptop. First she has checked to see if any of the BOLOs on either Claudia or Mark Andrews have turned up anything and, when she found nothing new, she began searching through both of the siblings' financial records again for any new transactions, and _that's_ when she sees it. Yelling for her dad, Caroline cross-checks something and is all excited when Mike walks up behind her chair.)

"Dad, an ATM withdrawal was made an hour ago from Mark Andrews' checking account!"

"Where?"

"Pascagoula, Mississippi."

"Got him! Call Adm. Henderson and ask him to contact the Commanding Officer at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. Tell him I want a security detachment sent to Pascagoula ASAP to coordinate with the local LEOs to find Mark Andrews or whoever it was that used his ATM card! I'm going to contact the F.B.I. and Homeland Security."


	87. Chapter 87

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 20, 2011**

(Chin has been monitoring the on-board computer in the helo as they are flying out to the island, and he suddenly sits up a little straighter and a curse escapes him as he notices activity on the monitor. His quick intake of breath and muttered curse gets Steve's attention immediately and he shifts so that he is sitting closer to the computer monitor.)

"What is it, Chin?"

"We're not the only ones headed to that island. A boat is headed in that direction at high speed and it appears to be coming from the Big Island."

"Three guesses who's on that boat and the first two don't count."

(And, although Danny's comment is corny, passé, and typical Danny, they all know exactly what he's thinking and several voices say the name at the same time.)

"Claudia Andrews."

"Yep. Question is, who else is with her and why is she going to the island now? Sam isn't due to deliver for, what, another five or six weeks?"

"Hold on, I'm trying to pick up heat signatures from the boat but it's still too far out."

"How long will it take the boat to reach the island, Chin?"

"At their current rate of speed . . . They should get there approximately thirty to forty-five minutes before we do, and . . . There appears to be only three people on the boat."

"All right, this changes things a bit."

(Steve leans toward the front of the helo and asks the pilot to patch him in with the other helo. Tony's voice quickly comes over everyone's headset.)

"We see it, Boss. The boat's going to beat us to the island."

"Which is actually going to work to our advantage. We're thinking Claudia Andrews is on that boat and there are only two other people with her. The Coral Seas is approaching the island from the other side of the island so they shouldn't be able to see them if they stay on their present course. Let's see where the boat docks and we'll adjust our insertion to compensate, and, if Claudia Andrews _is_ on that boat, I want her taken into custody but not questioned, yet. I'm pretty sure my wife would like to question her _personally_."

"Wouldn't that fall into the category of 'cruel and unusual punishment', Boss?

"What's your point, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery?"

"None, Sir, other than I think Cmdr. McGarrett would do a most excellent job of interrogating the suspect, and I, for one, would love to be a fly on the wall when she does."

"You just may get a front row seat, Commander."

(Sam knows that Rosa is very tense, but there is little she can do for the woman at the moment to calm her down. Sam, herself, is a little tense because she knows that, one way or the other, her ordeal is about to be over. She walks to the glass wall and looks out into the night hoping that she will see something, even if it's only a sliver of light off in the distance that will indicate Steve is on his way to her. Sam wasn't kidding earlier when she told Rosa that there was a good chance that, once Steve and his team arrived on the island, a gun battle between them and the guards would ensue. Sam is fairly certain that the last orders that were given to the guards were to kill Sam rather than allow her husband find her alive and well. To that end, she mentally begins to prepare herself for whatever comes her way. At her advanced stage of pregnancy, she is very limited as to how far she can go to physically defend herself and Rosa and not cause harm to her baby, but she'll be damned if she doesn't put up a fight. Sam has made up her mind that no one is going to harm her baby or take the baby away from her; no one. . .

Steve has moved so that he is sitting at Chin's right elbow and his eyes are glued to the computer screen as they watch the satellite image of the boat nearing the island. Their pilot tells Steve that he's patching a call from Adm. Thrasher in to him and also patching it in to the other helo, as well.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Lt. Williams has located Mark Andrews, or at least someone using his ATM card. She decided to check the BOLOs and financial records on both Mark and Claudia Andrews again, and his card was used at an ATM in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Adm. Henderson has spoken with the base commander at Keesler Air Force Base and they have a security detachment coordinating with the local LEOs to track the person who used that card down and take them into custody."

"That's good news, Sir. I don't know if you're still tracking the satellite imagery, but we've picked up a boat headed to the island from the Big Island with three people on board. We don't know for certain, but we think Claudia Andrews is on that boat."

"That's a strong possibility, Commander, especially since Lt. Williams also picked up on the fact that Claudia Andrews' name was on a passenger manifest for a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Hilo yesterday morning when she ran a general search through all the usual law enforcement databases for either Mark or Claudia Andrews. In fact, she's on the phone with airport security at the Hilo airport right now trying to get security footage for the gate and time that flight was due to arrive in Hawaii so we can get visual confirmation."

"Lt. Williams has been a very busy lady, Sir. Please tell her Five-0 could certainly use her if she ever decides to resign her commission."

"You can tell her that if you want to, Commander, but I don't think she'll take you up on your offer. What are you going to do about that boat?"

"Well, Admiral, we've estimated that the boat should reach the island approximately thirty to forty-five minutes before we do, so we're going to wait and see where it docks and adjust our point of insertion accordingly. We feel that we should allow whoever's on the boat to reach the island so that we can apprehend them at the same time we take care of the other tangos."

"Sounds like a plan, Son. Just make sure that, if Claudia Andrews is on that boat, she makes it back here to properly answer for what she's done and attempted to do."

"You'll have to talk with your daughter about that, Sir. Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery and I have tickets on the fifty yard line for Cmdr. McGarrett's interrogation of the suspect."

"Roger that, Commander. Have someone on your team video that 'interview'. I have a feeling it could be used as a training tool in how to conduct a successful interrogation later on down the road."

(Huge grins break out on the faces of everyone on board both helos at Mike's words as they all know that Sam will tear Claudia Andrews a new one if she gets the chance. A pissed off Samantha McGarrett is an amazing thing to witness, but add the anger of a mother protecting her child to that and Sam is truly going to be a thing of beauty as far as an interrogator is concerned. Feeling more confident and hopeful than he has in days, Steve settles back to continue watching the progress of the boat and anticipates the perfection of holding Sam in his arms in the very near future.)


	88. Chapter 88

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 21, 2011**

(Sam looks around the room and decides that, should a gun battle break out, the safest place for both her and Rosa will be the large, walk-in closet. Unfortunately, if she's inside the closet, Sam won't be able to see what's happening, and _that_ is not acceptable. Rosa has calmed down somewhat from when she first came into the room, but Sam can clearly see that she is still nervous. The older woman is sitting on the foot of the bed wringing her hands, and Sam puts what she hopes is a comforting smile on her face, sits down next to the pale woman, and pats her shoulder gently.)

"It's going to be all right, Rosa. My husband is very, very good at what he does, and so are the people he'll be bringing with him and he never, ever executes an op without first knowing exactly where he's going, what kind of resistance he's going to run into, and making sure he has at least two or more alternative extraction routes. I swear to you that he will get us out of here and to a safe place."

"I know you believe what you are saying, Senora, but the guards . . . They are also very good. Most of them were warriors in their own countries before coming here to work for Senorita Andrews. Most of them worked for the Senorita's man and are very well-trained."

"The Senorita's man? Do you know this man's name, Rosa?"

"Si, Senora. His name is Dimitri."

(Although Sam is not the least bit surprised to learn that Claudia Andrews and Dimitri Kasavich are involved in a romantic relationship, she experiences a chill at Rosa's words of warning about the guards on the island. If the men worked for Dimitri Kasavich, they are, indeed, a formidable force with which to be reckoned. But Sam is also confident in the skills of those coming for her and she trusts Steve with her life. Her mind turns to the two men Rosa said were charged with guarding the house and who are positioned just outside, and she _knows_ that they present the greatest danger to her and Rosa.)

"Rosa, I need you to go to the kitchen and get two of the biggest knives you can find. Can you do that for me?"

"Si, Senora, but what do you think you are going to do with knives? Surely you are not going to fight anyone in your condition?"

"As soon as the two men outside the house realize that the island is under attack, they're going to come in here. I don't know if they're going to try and take me out of the house and get me off the island or if they're going to try and kill me, but I don't plan to sit around and wait to find out. One way or the other, I'm not going to be held captive any longer. _I will not allow my baby to be taken away from me, and I will not allow anyone to send me into a life of captivity!_"

(Rosa searches the beautiful young woman's eyes and sees the steely determination in the set of her features. Nodding once, Rosa crosses herself and takes one of Sam's hands in hers as she says a brief, but powerful prayer for protection for the two of them, Senora Sam's husband, and the people coming with him. Slipping out of the room, Rosa makes her way to the kitchen and calmly and carefully gets two huge, very sharp knives and returns to the bedroom where she hands the weapons over to Sam. . .

The boat reaches the island and docks on the Eastern side which is perfect for Steve's team as they are approaching from the West and are only about twenty or twenty-five minutes from the island. The satellite images show all three people on the boat getting into a vehicle and driving toward the house. Several of the figures who have been walking in designated areas of the jungle-like undergrowth about a half mile from the house also start to move toward the structure. Steve frowns slightly as this movement means that they will encounter far more tangos near the house than they had originally anticipated, but the numbers are still well below what they are capable of handling. On the split screen view of the house, one of the two figures left the room in which they were both sitting, went to another room, and returned a few moments later. Steve is positive the figure that remained in the room is Sam and he prays that he can get to her before anyone tries to harm her. . .

Caroline ends her phone call and enters a few commands on her laptop; grinning when an image pops up on the monitor.)

"Claudia Andrews arrived at the airport in Hilo all right. Here's the security footage of her coming into the terminal. She's got to be one of the people on that boat, Dad!"

"Steve thinks so, too. Any word from the security detachment from Keesler or the local LEOs in Biloxi on the whereabouts of Mark Andrews?"

"No, but they're canvassing all the motels in the area to see if anyone's seen him. I rechecked his background information; he and his sister were born in Wisconsin and lived there until they both graduated from high school. Mark Andrews attended Syracuse and has never lived or worked in the southeast according to everything I can find."

"What the Hell is he doing in Mississippi?"

"You know, Dad, there are several cruise lines that operate in that area of the country and New Orleans is not too far from Pascagoula and Biloxi. Think I'll check with Homeland Security and see if they can access the passenger manifests for the ships departing from that area in the next few days."

"Good idea, Sweetie. It would be easy for Andrews to board one of those ships and get off in a foreign port of call."

"And then fly out of that port of call to another destination. Something else, Dad; what if Mark Andrews is trying to 'disappear' for a few weeks until McBaby's born. He might be the one tagged to take the baby to Russia. The Kasavich family owns several private jets and they have enough money to pave the way through customs for anyone working for them."

"We'll know soon. Steve and his team should be arriving at their insertion point in about ten minutes and then it should take them another ten or fifteen to arrive at the island."


	89. Chapter 89

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 21, 2011**

(Sam hears the sound of raised voices coming from the front of the house and one of them is distinctly female. Instantly knowing who the voice belongs to, Sam quickly tells Rosa to start turning down the bed and hides both of the knives in the cushion of one of the chairs before sitting down. Rosa has just reached for comforter when the door to the room opens and Claudia Andrews, looking suspicious, sweeps into the room. Rosa keeps her eyes down and methodically pulls the covers back while Sam, her face a study in calm but with a slightly bored expression, glances dismissively at the woman who is Dimitri Kasavich's lover.)

"Rosa! Why are you still here? You should have been gone hours ago!"

"I wasn't feeling well earlier and asked her to stay in case there was a problem with the baby. Why are _you_ here, Ms. Andrews?"

"You may leave now, Rosa, I'm sure you must be tired. I will stay with Mrs. McGarrett."

"Si, Senorita."

(Rosa finishes turning down the bed and, sending Sam an apologetic look from under her lowered lashes, leaves the room. Claudia Andrews, a smug and completely insincere smirk on her face, sits down in the chair across from Sam, sits back, and crosses her legs with arms resting on the armrests. Cocking her head to one side, she quietly studies Sam for a few moments before speaking. When she does, her words send chills down Sam's spine. Were it not for the fact that Sam knows Steve is on his way to the island, she would probably have a coronary on the spot.)

"Plans have changed, Mrs. McGarrett. The decision has been made to deliver your baby by Caesarean section. An order has been received for you and the client is not willing to wait any longer than necessary. I've brought a physician to evaluate both you and the baby and if, in his opinion, the baby is mature enough at this point, you will be taken to a private hospital and the surgery will take place."

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm very serious, Mrs. McGarrett. You are in no position to quibble with me, either. If you do not do as you're told, we will kill you on the spot."

"Won't that put a crimp in your plans?"

"No, because we will shoot you in the head and the physician will perform the Caesarean immediately. Your child will still be sent to Russia and will be raised to despise, and, one day, kill your husband. We won't be able to sell you to our client, but there will be other women who will please him. You'll be dead, your husband will be _denied_ your presence in his life, and his own child will kill him."

(If Claudia Andrews was expecting Sam to react violently or with shock, she receives a huge surprise. Although she is quaking with terror on the inside, Sam is outwardly as cool as a cucumber. She stares at the other woman for just a moment before responding in a calm, level voice.)

"Tell me something, Ms. Andrews, just exactly what do you get from all this? What is your motivation for committing numerous federal crimes? Money?"

"Actually, it's not 'Ms. Andrews'; it's 'Mrs. Kasavich'. Dimitri and I were married four years ago."

(_This_ piece of information does get Sam's attention and Claudia Andrews _Kasavich_ laughs at the expression on her face.)

"I see you did not know that Dimitri was married. . . We met years ago when we were both studying at the University of Munich and found that we had a great deal in common; not the least of which was that we both had rather unique and unquenchable sexual appetites. We kept up with one another over the years and met frequently to satisfy those appetites. Dimitri's father disapproved of such excesses and threatened to disown Dimitri. He added a codicle to his will requiring Dimitri to marry before a certain age or lose his inheritance. In order to comply with the will's provisions, Dimitri and I married, but neither of us has given up our proclivity for the sexual domination of others; I have even slept with his brother as Dimitri watched. As to my motivation, Mrs. McGarrett, with both Dimitri and Alexei in prison for the rest of their lives, _I_ am now in control of the Kasavich empire. I was only too happy to comply with Dimitri's request to abduct you, send your baby to his aunt in Russia, and sell you in the human slave markets of the Orient. He gets what he wants, Irina gets what she wants, I get what I want and you and your husband get nothing."

"I _**pity**_ you, _Mrs. Kasavich_. Neither you nor Dimitri will ever be truly happy. You will never know the pure joy of truly loving someone with all your heart and having that love returned. You will never know the precious experience of feeling your baby move within your womb. You are a very sad individual; forever seeking that which you will never find."

"And you are a fool! You are a beautiful woman, but how long do you think your beauty will last in the slave markets? How long do you think it will take before you are completely addicted to the cocaine, heroin, and other drugs that will be forced into your system? How many beatings do you think you will be able to withstand before you die? I will make sure that you disappear so far underground that you will never be found!"

"You are the most evil, despicable, vile human being I have ever met. You are insane and, sooner or later, you're going to pay for all the horror you have wrought on others."

"That may be, but you, Mrs. McGarrett, won't live to see it!"

(The hideous woman calmly stands up and exits the room leaving Sam to sag back into the chair in a moment of utter horror and despair. _Come on, Steve, you need to get here now!_. . . )


	90. Chapter 90

**CHAPTER NINETY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 21, 2011**

(Chin and Steve have seen a solitary heat signature leave the main house and walk to the smallest of the buildings on the island and they both realize that this must be the housekeeper, Rosa. That can only mean that the four heat signatures remaining in the main house belong to Sam, Claudia Andrews, and the two people who came to the island with her. Steve's stress level ramps up a notch at the thought that the one ally Sam had on the island is no longer with her but a known enemy is, and he forces himself to take a deep breath and remain calm. Reaching their insertion point, two rubberized water craft are dropped into the ocean followed by the members of the team. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Senior Chief Newton can't help but grin when Danny, his face a sickly shade of green, lands with an undignified "plop" in the rubber boat next to him. Mumbling under his breath about "crazy-assed Super SEALs", Danny manages to grab onto the side of the boat and holds on for dear life as the water craft speeds silently toward the shore. Their luck holds and their approach is apparently unnoticed by anyone so they quietly wade ashore and hurriedly pull the two boats into the jungle-like undergrowth about twenty yards from the water. Silently, the two groups move toward their objectives pausing frequently to listen for any sounds that would indicate they have been discovered. . . .

Rosa stands at the front window of her small house and gazes worriedly out into the night in the direction of the main house. Senora Sam did not look frightened or worried when Rosa left her with Senorita Andrews, but Rosa well knows what the evil Senorita is capable of and she fears for both Sam and her baby. As she stopped in the kitchen to get her purse, Rosa overheard the two strange men sitting at the table talking and what she heard petrified her. They want to cut the pretty Senora open and take her baby! Rosa frantically tries to think of a way she can help Senora Sam, but she is only one woman, and she does not want to die! Falling to her knees, Rosa bows her head and begins to pray that Senora Sam's husband comes quickly before Senorita Andrews can carry out her evil plan! . . .

Tony's team quickly surrounds the bunk house and prepares to make entry. Chin is, once again, very impressed with the quiet efficiency with which the SEALs and Marines go about preparing themselves to execute their part of the op. Positioning himself next to his cousin-in-law, Chin tightens his grip on his Glock 19 and waits for the signal to enter the building . . .

Sam has pulled herself together and goes into "combat mode". Closing her eyes for just a moment, she takes a couple of deep breaths and slowly exhales to center herself. Sticking one of the knives behind her back in the waistband of her pants and pulling her top down over it, Sam grips the handle of the other knife in her right hand and steps over to the window near using the draperies to hide the fact that she is holding the weapon. Hearing footsteps coming down the tiled hallway toward the room, Sam slows her breathing and allows her training to take over. Turning slightly toward the door, Sam waits; a sense of complete calm settling over her. . .

Steve's group has quietly and efficiently taken out five of the guards stationed in the tropical forest close to the house and are moving as rapidly as possible toward the building. . . .

Tony gives the signal and the assault team enters the building and quickly secures the sleeping guards. Tony, feeling that it was almost too easy to accomplish their task, sends Steve a "mission accomplished" signal, assigns several of the Marines to guard their prisoners, and he, Chin and the rest of his team move toward the main house. . .

The door opens and Claudia Kasavich enters with a strange man behind her. He doesn't look particularly threatening, but Sam is wary all the same. Claudia is holding a wicked-looking gun and Sam has no doubt whatsoever that the woman won't hesitate to pull the trigger at the slightest provocation."

"This is Dr. Samson, Mrs. McGarrett. He will be examining you, so please cooperate or I will be forced to shoot you."

"It's _Commander_ McGarrett, and no one, including that man, doctor or not, is going to lay one finger on me!"

"You're going to force me to kill you, aren't you?"

"Do what you feel you must."

"My God, no wonder Dimitri was so obsessed with you! You are truly magnificent! Just the kind of woman who appeals to Dimitri; strong, forceful, determined. . . You are just delaying the inevitable, _Commander_. Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way; the choice is yours."

(Sam's voice is dead-level calm but firm and her expression is very determined when she speaks.)

"I _said_, no one is touching me."

"Look around! I'm holding a loaded gun on you and I _will_ kill you if you don't cooperate! I will take your baby!"

"Then you might as well pull the trigger because the only way you'll ever take my baby is over my dead body!"

"Don't push me, Commander!"

(Steve's team has reached house and they wait for the remainder of Tony's team to get into position at the rear of the structure. As soon as Tony signals they're ready, Steve gives the order to execute and both groups move inside. The house is eerily quiet, and Steve has a very bad feeling. Moving into and through the kitchen, they head to the hallway when a large man, holding a gun in his hand, steps out into the hallway and fires; six guns return fire and the man drops like a brick. Steve's blood turns to ice in his veins when he hears the sound of glass shattering followed by sounds of a struggle coming from a room down the hallway. Rushing to the room and throwing the door wide open, Steve freezes in his track as the horror of what he sees stops him in his tracks.)


	91. Chapter 91

**CHAPTER NINETY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 22, 2011**

(Mike has been tensely watching the video feed from the satellite imagery and is well aware that the game has changed with the arrival on the island of the three people on the boat. Knowing that Claudia Andrews is probably one of the people sets Mike's teeth on edge as he can think of several reasons the woman might want to see Sam and none of them are good. He truly hates the fact that he's in Honolulu, safely ensconced in the home of one of his daughters and sons-in-law with his wife and other daughter while Sam, Steve, Danny, and other people he cares about are in the middle of some serious danger. In years past, Mike would have been right in the thick of things alongside his sons-in-law and would, at least, be _doing_ something instead of pacing back and forth. Feelings of total and complete helplessness nearly overwhelm him and his mood is getting darker by the minute. Libby, knowing her husband quite well after thirty-five years of marriage, recognizes all the signs and steps in front of him to force him to stop moving about so frantically.)

"You're not doing anyone any good, Mike."

"This is _hard_, Libby!"

"Welcome to my world, dear."

"I don't know what's happening on that island right now! I have no idea if the good guys are winning or not! I have no _control_! You just don't understand!"

"Don't I? What do you suppose I was thinking and feeling every, single time you left on an op? What do you think watching you gear up and walk out the door did to me? How many nights do you think I _never_ slept while you were gone? How fast do you think my heart would race when the phone would ring and I thought it was someone calling to tell me you had been hurt? How many times do you think our girls sat up trying to distract me with outrageous stories or card games or movies because they knew their mother was about to have a nervous breakdown? _You're_ the one who doesn't understand, Mike Thrasher! Did you know that Sam and Caroline actually had a plan all worked out in case an official Navy vehicle parked in front of our house? They had the phone numbers of our neighbors and my closest friends on _speed dial_ in both their phones for God's sake! You and Steve and Tony and all those other 'I'm a Navy SEAL; I'm invincible' types have absolutely no idea what the people who love you go through! I've said it before and I'll say it again; wives of Navy SEALs should be awarded special medals because the possibility of losing their minds is far, far greater than the possibility of you 'boy wonders' getting seriously injured or killed!"

(Mike has, once again, been rendered totally speechless by his wife's vehement outburst, and he mutely stares at her for a moment. Unknown to Libby, the wives of the other SEALs have walked up to stand behind her and their faces reflect the same expression as hers. Mike Thrasher, U.S. Navy SEAL, U.S. Navy Admiral, "Mr. I'm Always In Charge", looks at the seven women, opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, and is at an utter and complete loss for words. The icing on the cake is when his daughter rises from her chair and moves to join ranks with her mother and the other ladies. Realizing that he is totally out of his depth and is treading on seriously thin ice, Mike does what any good officer would do in this situation; he retreats. Mumbling a profuse apology to all the ladies, he does an about face and heads for the sanctuary of the kitchen where he reflects on everything his wife had to say. Several minutes later, Mike has decided that he owes Libby a huge apology for everything she has gone through as his wife, and that he has a great deal of "sucking up" to do in the very near future. Only when he hears Caroline's excited voice calling him does he venture back into the "lion's den".)

"Just got a call from a Capt. Billings with the security detachment from Keesler Air Force Base, Dad. The Biloxi P.D. has found a desk clerk in a motel on the coast who recognized Mark Andrews; a S.W.A.T. team is getting ready to enter his room as we speak."

"Did you tell them we need him alive?"

"Yes, Sir, I did. Capt. Billings said he has been assured that every possible effort will be made to apprehend Andrews without injuring him."

"Good. Even though we're fairly sure Sam is on that island, we still need to question Andrews, and his superiors at the Secret Service want to get their hands on him, as well. Billings going to call us once they have him in custody?"

"Yes, Sir."

(In response to Claudia's warning of "don't' push me", Sam merely smiled tauntingly at the woman and lifted her chin. Sam knows that Claudia Andrews hasn't actually soiled her own hands by killing someone yet and she's betting that Claudia doesn't want to be guilty of that particular crime, either. The doctor, looking uncertain and frightened, has moved back as close to one of the walls as he can and Claudia is about eight feet from where Sam is standing. In order to carry out her plan, Sam needs the woman much closer. The fury in the other woman's eyes tells Sam that Claudia is caught between a rock and a hard place and a small smile curves Sam's full lips.)

"We both know that you're not going to shoot me, Mrs. Kasavich, so why don't you just put down the gun and maybe I won't hurt you."

"Hurt me? Are you mad?"

(Claudia has unconsciously moved closer to Sam, much to Sam's delight, and Sam takes the three steps necessary to bring her even closer.)

"Am I mad? You're damned right, I'm mad! Who the Hell do you think you are? You have your brother kidnap me and hold me here against my will and now you want to take my baby away from me and sell me to a slave trader? You have messed with the wrong woman, Mrs. Kasavich, and I think it's time you learned your lesson!"

(Sam catches Claudia unawares and uses her left hand to deliver a stinging blow to the woman's right hand which is holding the gun. A look of surprise crosses Claudia Andrews' face as the gun goes flying and Sam follows up with a right hook which lands squarely on the other woman's jaw. Stumbling backward, the woman realizes that she cannot allow Sam to win and, regaining her footing, lunges for Sam catching her around the knees and causing both women to fall to the floor. Sam has pulled the knife she was holding up and both of Claudia's hands grasp Sam's right wrist as they roll on the floor. Sam's huge baby bump is hindering her normally fluid movements and she is also trying to be as careful of the baby as she can but she knows that Claudia is now enraged and she is literally fighting for her life. Using her free hand, Sam delivers a blow to Claudia's neck that causes the woman to gasp and grab the spot where she was hit with one hand. Rolling again, Claudia manages to pin Sam flat on her back on the floor and tries to force the knife down and into Sam's neck. Sam is desperately trying to gain control of the knife and it is this scene that Steve bursts in on; the wickedly sharp blade of the knife mere inches from Sam's carotid artery.)


	92. Chapter 92

**CHAPTER NINETY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 22, 2011**

(The other members of Steve's team pile into the room behind him and they, too, are frightened by the scene unfolding in front of them. Steve raises his weapon to take aim on Claudia Andrews, but Sam forcefully jerks her knee upward and the two women roll on the floor again. A sick feeling seeps into Steve as he realizes that it's entirely too dangerous to try and shoot Claudia Andrews right now because the fight between the two women makes it impossible to be sure the bullet hits Claudia and not Sam or the baby. Tossing his weapon to Kono, Steve takes a step toward the two grappling women but stops short when Claudia Andrews, once again, gains the upper hand rolls on top of Sam. Their hands, still battling for the knife, have disappeared between their bodies and the room is filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing. Suddenly, Sam lets out a loud and pain-filled grunt and all movement ceases; Sam's eyes sliding closed in the eerie silence. Steve's heart literally stops and his feet feel like they are bolted to the floor as he struggles to move toward the now-still bodies lying on the floor. Senior Chief Tim Newton is right beside Steve and the two men reach the women at virtually the same time. Not caring if he's rough or not, Steve jerks Claudia Andrews off his wife's body and flings her to the floor. The knife is sticking out of Claudia Andrews' shoulder and both she and Sam are covered in blood. Steve snatches Sam up into his arms and one hand reaches toward her neck searching for a pulse. Sam's beautiful emerald green eyes open and she looks into Steve's stormy ones for the first time in over a week. That's all it takes as every, single emotion Sam has experienced since her abduction rises to the surface and she bursts into tears as her arms go around Steve's neck and she clings tightly to her husband. Steve's eyes flood with tears, too, as he realizes that Sam has not been stabbed and the blood she is covered in belongs to Claudia Andrews. Holding Sam as tightly as he dares, Steve takes pleasure in having Sam in his arms again and he also realizes that his legs won't hold him up at the moment as he is weak with relief. Gently stroking Sam's hair, he murmurs soft words of comfort to her as he feels her whole body shaking. . .

Tony and his crew have just entered the room and they, too, take in the scene before them. Petty Officer, Mark James, the SEAL team's medic, immediately goes to the spot on the floor where Steve is cradling Sam and asks her if she's hurt. When she shakes her head, he moves several feet to where Senior Chief Newton is checking Claudia Andrews' pulse and she is beginning to come around. Determining that the knife went into muscle and didn't hit anything vital, James nods to the Senior Chief and begins to bandage the woman's shoulder leaving the knife in place in case it's embedded close to a vein or artery. Claudia Andrews has regained full consciousness and hatred spews from her eyes and venom drips from her voice when she speaks.)

"This changes nothing, Mrs. McGarrett! You and your precious baby are still in danger and will be for as long as Irina Kasavich lives!"

(Sam pulls back and looks at Steve with sheer terror in her shimmering eyes and he tightens his hold as he glances back over his shoulder and sends a meaningful glance in the direction of Danny and Tony.)

"Get her out of here; now! . . . Sam, Baby, don't listen to her! It's all right, Sweetheart, I promise you. Irina Kasavich has been implicated in your abduction; she won't be able to get anywhere near you. No one is going to hurt you or our baby, Sam; no one."

(Senior Chief Newton followed Tony and Danny outside with Claudia Andrews and tells Danny he will make sure she gets to the other prisoners while Danny calls Mike. Thanking the man, Danny pulls out his cellular phone and hits the speed dial for his father-in-law. . .

Mike has "toned down" the frustration and pacing in deference to the ladies who have dealt with all this drama for years in a calm and quiet manner. Feeling a little ashamed of himself for his earlier outburst, he has just stepped into the kitchen to get some coffee when his cellular phone rings. Glancing at the caller I.D. and seeing that it's Danny, Mike sets his coffee cup down on the counter, takes a deep breath, and answers the call.)

"Sam's fine, Mike."

"Thank God!"

"We have all the bad guys in custody; including Claudia Andrews. We're all okay, and we're waiting on the helos now but they should be here in about ten minutes."

"We'll meet you at the base, and, Danny? Glad you're okay, Son. Give Sam my love and tell her we'll see her soon."

"Will do."

(Everyone has quietly slipped out of the room leaving Sam and Steve sitting on the floor wrapped in each other's arms. It's been nearly fifteen minutes since Sam stabbed Claudia Andrews to end the fight but Sam is still shaking. Only when they hear the distant sound of the helos do they stir. Steve, praying his legs will hold him up, slowly stands and helps Sam to her feet. They walk out of the house and into the yard where one helo has already landed and another is about to, and they join Danny, Kono, Tony, Chin, and Senior Chief Newton on one while some of the SEALs and the Marines accompany the first group of prisoners on the other. A third helo is en route to accommodate the remainder of the prisoners but all Steve cares about is getting Sam to the base hospital so Lt. Cmdr. Denning can check her over. Once on board the helo and seated next to Steve, Sam closes her eyes and allows her body to rest against the solid warmth of her husband. The only thing she wants more than anything and after making sure McBaby is all right, is to go home, crawl into bed with Steve and sleep in his arms.)


	93. Chapter 93

**CHAPTER NINETY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 22, 2011**

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Hope I didn't give anyone heart failure with the last few chapters, but I wanted to "ramp up" the tension just a little bit! Also, please not that I'm switching back and forth from the events taking place on the island to the McGarrett's house in Honolulu in this chapter and some of the events are taking place simultaneously. Hope this note clears up any confusion. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! You are truly wonderful and I appreciate each and every one of you! Michelle**

(Just before the helo lifts off, Sam jerks upright and nearly screams Steve's name. So frightened is he that he almost jumps out of his seat.)

"Steve!"

"What? What is Sam? Are you all right?"

"Rosa! We have to get Rosa! I swore to her we wouldn't leave her here!"

(One palm flat on his chest and the other grasping his seat, Steve takes a couple of deep breaths to try to slow his racing heart. Looking over at Danny, who's doing a very poor job of hiding a smirk, Steve frowns darkly.)

"Danny, would you and Senior Chief Newton go to that smaller house and get the lady and bring her back here ASAP, please?"

"No, Steve! _I_ have to go!"

"Why?"

"Because Rosa doesn't know any of you! For all she knows, Irina Kasavich sent you here to take me and kill her!"

"Sam, neither Danny nor Senior Chief Newton is the least bit scary looking, and. . . Okay, so they're both really scary looking; especially Danny, but . ."

"Steve, I am going to go get her myself. Any of you are welcome to go with me, but I am going myself!"

(And so saying, Sam hops out of the helo and starts striding determinedly toward Rosa's small cottage with Steve, Danny, Senior Chief Newton, and Kono following her. When they reach the woman's house, Sam raises her voice and calls out to her. Relief written on her face, the older woman comes out the front door and heads straight to Sam to embrace her in a big hug.)

"Senora, you are all right!"

"I'm fine, Rosa, and you don't have to worry anymore; Claudia Andrews and all the guards are in custody. We're going back to Honolulu now, and you're coming with us. We can send someone back for your things later."

"I have already packed my belongings, Senora Sam. I . . . I don't have much, just some clothes and a few pictures; only two small suitcases."

"All right. Rosa, this is my husband, Steve McGarrett, my brother-in-law, Danny Williams, and two people who are such good friends that they are part of our family, too, Kono Montgomery and Senior Chief Tim Newton. Danny and the Senior Chief will be glad to get your things."

(Sam's arm slides around the shorter woman's shoulders and starts walking toward the helo; her voice calm and conversational.)

"Have you ever flown in a helicopter before, Rosa? It's really quite exciting and will take us much less time to reach Oahu than if we went by boat."

(Steve, standing in the small yard in front of Rosa's house with his hands on his hips follows his wife and the other woman with his eyes and a "what the Hell just happened?" expression on his face. Danny and Senior Chief Newton both avert their eyes and the Senior Chief actually has to cough to cover the snicker that escapes him as they head inside the house to get Rosa's bags. Kono, also doing her best to hide a smile, simply puts her hand on Steve's shoulder and steers him in the direction of the helo.)

"C'mon, Steve, the sooner we get to the helo, the sooner we'll get back to Pearl."

"She looks okay, she sounds okay . . . Do you think she really _is_ okay, Kono?"

"I think, Steve, that if Sam _weren't_ more or less okay, she'd tell you, and I also think that you need to just play it by ear and let her take the lead, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. The sooner Lt. Cmdr. Denning can examine her, the better."

(When they reach the helo, Rosa pales a little and Sam senses her hesitation when she sees the helicopter. Smiling encouragingly, Sam starts talking and keeps a running dialogue going as they walk toward the helicopter and Petty Officers Nick Landry and Matt Brandt, having gotten the message Sam sent them with a glance, smile and very politely help first Rosa and the Sam into the helo and then assist Rosa with buckling her safety restraints. By the time Steve, Kono, Danny, and Senior Chief Newton are on board and the pilot is lifting off, Sam has told Rosa all about her parents, Caroline, and the rest of the SEAL team and their wives. Steve looks at his wife with an expression of wonder on his face and just shakes his head in disbelief. . . .

Ending his call with Danny, Mike rejoins the ladies and looks for his wife. Locating her in the midst of the other wives, he makes his way over to her and takes her hand in his.)

"Danny just called. They have Sam and she and the baby are just fine; they're all fine. They have Claudia Andrews and her men in custody and are waiting for transport helos. They'll be heading straight to Pearl and, even though Danny assured me Sam's okay, Steve wants Lt. Cmdr. Denning to look her over when they get there. I just spoke with Allen Henderson and he's going to have the hospital commander page Lt. Cmdr. Denning and have him meet Sam at the hospital."

(The look of sheer relief on the face of every woman in the room is obvious and smiles begin to appear. Even though she's smiling, Libby's eyes are suspiciously bright with tears of relief at her husband's words. Hugging him and then Caroline, who's also misty-eyed, Libby turns to the other women and takes command.)

"Ladies, I believe those wonderful people who went after my daughter are going to be hungry when they get back and we did promise them we'd have breakfast ready. Adm. Thrasher, Lt. Williams, and I are going over to the base hospital, but it won't take me long to have breakfast ready once we get back. Feel free to stay here and make yourselves comfortable while we're gone."

"Mrs. Thrasher, you still haven't figured out that we're here to take care of _you_ this time, have you, Ma'am? You go right ahead and meet Sam at the hospital and _we_ will have breakfast ready when you all get back. Don't worry about a thing."

"Casey, my dear, when we've all had a chance to recover from this ordeal; you and I are going to lunch. I'd like to sit down with you and have a nice, long talk, and . . . Thank you. Thank you all."


	94. Chapter 94

**CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 22, 2011**

(When the helos land at Pearl, Libby, Mike, Caroline, and Adm. Henderson are waiting on the tarmac. The first thing that happens when Steve hops out, helps Sam out, and they have moved away from the helicopter is that Sam is immediately enfolded in Libby's arms, then Mike's and, finally, Caroline's. Once Caroline has released her sister, Libby hugs Steve before, again hugging her daughter and leaving an arm around Sam's waist. Of course, none of this has taken place without many relieved tears and happy smiles. Danny also gets a hug from his mother-in-law and wife, and Mike shakes both his sons-in-law's hands as well as those of Tony, Chin, and the rest of the SEALs before hugging Kono. Rosa has been standing in the background just behind Senior Chief Newton watching the touching scene unfolding before her eyes with a somewhat wistful expression on her face. Once they have all sorted themselves out, Sam grabs the woman's hand and introduces her to the rest of her family and Adm. Henderson.)

"I honestly don't know what I would have done if Rosa had not been on that island. She kept me sane and wouldn't allow me to wallow in self-pity, and she was brave enough to steal one of the guard's cellular phones and call Steve."

"Rosa, Sam's father and I can't tell you how much we appreciate you helping our daughter. Thank you."

"You are welcome, Senora Thrasher, but I have a feeling Senora Sam would have found a way to get away from Senorita Andrews on her own eventually. She is a very strong, very fearless woman."

"Rosa, we both know that, if you had not called my husband, Claudia Kasavich would have probably been able to carry out her plan. _You_ are the reason I am standing here with my family right now, and we owe you a great deal."

(The woman lowers her eyes and blushes under Sam's praise, but a small smile forms on her face which Sam returns. Everyone else, however, has strange expressions on their faces; the result of Sam calling Claudia _Kasavich_ instead of _Andrews._ Sam glances around and frowns slightly as she tries to figure out just exactly why everyone's looking at her like she's lost her mind. Steve finally voices the question everyone wants to ask.)

"Why did you call Claudia Andrews Claudia '_Kasavich', _Sam?"

"Oh, did I forget to tell you guys about that? Claudia and Dimitri Kasavich were married three years ago. Something about a codicil in his father's will."

"Claudia Andrews and Dimitri Kasavich were married?"

"I believe that's what I just said, Danny."

"Explain, Sam. Now."

"Well, geez, Steve, you don't have to be so bossy about it."

"Sam."

"Dimitri Kasavich and Claudia Andrews met years ago when they were both studying at the University of Munich and started seeing each other and continued the relationship for a long time. Apparently, Dimitri's father didn't like the fact that his son would, sorry, Mom, screw every woman he saw, and put a codicil in his will requiring Dimitri to marry by a certain age or lose his inheritance hoping to make his son settle down and act more respectably. Dimitri and Claudia got married to satisfy the requirement but both of them continued to, sorry again, Mom, screw around with whomever whenever they chose. With both Dimitri and Alexei in prison and sentenced to life without parole, Claudia took control of the Kasavich family's business."

"What about Irina Kasavich?"

"Irina Kasavich considered herself too old to take control of the family business, Tony. Besides, if Claudia had succeeded in what she had planned for me, she was going to send McBaby to Russia for Irina to raise. It seems that Irina wanted to avenge Dimitri's and Alexei's capture and subsequent imprisonment and was going to raise our baby as a Kasavich. She wanted to poison our child's mind against Steve and, when the baby was old enough, send him or her here to kill Steve."

(It is so quiet on the tarmac that you could hear a pin drop as those around her absorb Sam's words. Most everyone looks as if they've been "sucker punched" except Steve. He meets Sam's gaze and his eyes tell her he understands exactly what mental torture she endured during the time she was held captive and that he loves her with every fiber of his being. Wordlessly, Sam steps into the circle of her husband's arms and smiles up at him lovingly. Libby has gotten over her initial shock at the deviant plans Claudia Andrews or Kasavich or whatever her name is had for both Sam and Steve, and now she's good and mad.)

"I never cease to be amazed at the terrible things human beings are capable of doing to one another. My daughter is quite correct, Rosa; _you_ are the reason that horrible woman's plans for our daughter, our grandchild, and, eventually, our son-in-law were thwarted. We are in your debt."

"Yeah, Mom, about that . . . I have an idea about how we can start to repay Rosa and I'd like to talk to you about it in more detail later, but, right now, I'd like for her to be checked out at the hospital and then we need to get her settled somewhere temporarily until we can work out more permanent arrangements."

"Say no more, Sam. I'll make sure that the doctors take a look at Rosa when we get your to the base hospital, and she is more than welcome to stay with your mother and me for the time being."

"Thanks, Dad; I knew I could count on you and Mom."

"Speaking of doctors, Lt. Cmdr. Denning is waiting to take a look at you, so let's get both of you over there, Beautiful."

"Sounds like a plan, Sailor."


	95. Chapter 95

**CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 22, 2011**

(Sam, Steve, Danny, Caroline, Chin, Kono, Libby, Mike, and Adm. Henderson take Rosa and head over to the base hospital while Tony and his SEALs head to their building to take care of stowing away their equipment. Tony tells Kono he will join them at the hospital as soon as he's finished, and Libby makes sure the rest of the SEALs understand they are all expected at Sam's and Steve's for breakfast once they have everything squared away. Once they arrive at the hospital, Sam and Steve head upstairs to the OB floor to meet Lt. Cmdr. Denning while Libby accompanies Rosa to the E.R. The presence of Adm. Henderson, the base commander, has most of the hospital staff jumping more so than usual, and it is only a matter of minutes before one of the E.R. physicians, a Captain, is checking Rosa over under Libby's watchful eye. Rosa seems to be a bit overwhelmed and is finding it a little hard to believe that _she_ is the center of attention and everyone is concerned for _her_ welfare for a change. Senora Sam's mother is watching over her like a mother hen, although the two women are roughly the am age and Rosa may be a little older than Libby, and Rosa feels very fortunate, indeed. When the doctor has finished and pronounced Rosa in excellent health, Libby tells her that, as soon as Sam and Steve are finished upstairs, they will all be going back to the McGarrett's house for breakfast and then Rosa will be going back to the Thrasher's house as their guest for a little while. Rosa is stunned at the kindness and Libby's immediate and unconditional acceptance of her, and she is so overwhelmed that tears blur her vision.)

"Rosa, what's wrong? Have I said or done something to upset you?"

"No! No, Senora Libby, you have been very kind. I . . I have never been treated so well before. I am a stranger to you and yet you invite me to stay in your home. I did not know people did such things.'

"Oh, Rosa. . . You and I may have just met, but my daughter trusts you and you saved her life and that of my grandchild. I will never be able to thank you enough for what you did for us. My husband and I are only too happy to have you as a guest in our home, and if there's any other way we can be of help to you, we will. Now, let's go see if Sam and Steve are ready to go."

(While Rosa is being checked out in the E.R., Lt. Cmdr. Denning has looked Sam over and is currently doing an ultrasound to check on the baby. Steve is sitting on a stool right beside Sam and holding her hand as they both watch the monitor intently. Every so often, Sam turns her head and is reassured by the gentle, loving smile on her husband's face. The sound of their baby's heartbeat is music to their ears, and Lt. Cmdr. Denning is smiling as he moves the wand gently over Sam's baby bump and watches the monitor as the baby's tiny arms and legs move about. Finally, the doctor places the wand in the holder on the ultrasound machine and gently wipes the gel off of Sam's abdomen. Standing up, he smiles encouragingly at both her and Steve.)

"Well, Commander, you and your baby are both just fine and I don't foresee any complications. Apparently, whatever it was they used to sedate you when you were first abducted was mild so there weren't any lasting affects. Although you've told me you were well cared for while you were being held captive, I'm sure it was difficult for you so I want you to get plenty of rest. I'm putting you on medical leave for the next two days and don't even think about arguing with me. Besides, I'm sure you'd like to have some time to spend with your family after your ordeal. Take the time to relax and let your husband pamper you, Commander, and call me if you have any concerns about anything."

"Thank you, Cmdr. Denning. Knowing that McBaby is okay is a huge relief."

"The baby really is just fine, although I wouldn't recommend you get into any more hand-to-hand combat situations until _after_ the baby is born, Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Not to worry!"

(Sam is dressed and she and Steve meet their group in the E.R. waiting room fifteen minutes later. Everyone is vastly relieved that both Sam and the baby got a clean bill of health and Adm. Henderson tells Sam to take more than three days if she needs to but Sam just smiles and gives him a look that lets him know she'll be back in her office in three days. Walking into the parking lot, they find the SEALs waiting for them and a small caravan of vehicles heads to the McGarrett's where, once again, Sam receives hugs from the wives of the SEALs and they all sit down to breakfast just as the sun begins to rise in the Eastern sky. As soon as everyone has finished eating, the ladies make quick work of cleaning up the kitchen, the SEALs and their wives take their leave, and it isn't long before everyone else heads home, as well. Sam pulls Rosa aside and again thanks her for her help and promises her that they will talk later in the afternoon after they've both gotten some sleep. Rosa thanks Sam for taking her off that island and bringing her back to civilization and assures Sam that she is very comfortable with staying with Libby and Mike for a few days. Finally, Steve locks the front door behind Rosa and his in-laws and turns to find Sam waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. He sees the dark shadows under Sam's beautiful eyes and knows that she is exhausted. Kissing her forehead, he sweeps her up into his strong arms and carries her to their bedroom where he gently helps her out of her clothes and into a nightgown and then quickly sheds his own clothes before climbing into bed beside her. Pulling Sam into his arms and holding her close, Steve sends up a prayer of thanks that he has his wife back. Sam is fast asleep within minutes and Steve is more than content to simply hold the love of his life. Minutes later, he follows her into a restful, dreamless sleep as all is right with his world once again.)


	96. Chapter 96

**CHAPTER NINETY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 23, 2011**

(By the time Mike, Libby. and Rosa arrive at the Thrasher's beach house, the combination of worry, being up all night, and tummies full of a huge breakfast have all three of them yawning. Mike, however, has something nagging at him and, while Libby is showing Rosa to her room and helping her settle in, Mike pulls out his cellular phone and dials the number Capt. Billings gave him earlier. When the Captain answers, Mike identifies himself and then asks the Captain for a sitrep on Mark Andrews. The Captain's reply is not what Mike wanted to hear.)

"I was just getting ready to call you, Admiral. The S.W.A.T. team made entry into Andrews' motel room, but he was already gone. We've been canvassing the area, but, so far, we haven't found anyone who saw him leave the motel. The local LEOs updated the BOLOs to all law enforcement agencies both her and abroad and they've made sure that all cruise lines and ports from New Orleans to Miami have his picture, nothing's turned up yet. The last time we can confirm he was seen was 2130 hours last night at a bar two blocks from the motel where he was staying. After that, he just disappeared. We're going continue canvassing the area in a fifty mile radius of the motel, but I'm not sure we'll find anyone who saw him. The guy's like a ghost, Sir."

"That he is, Captain. We were able to locate my daughter and a SEAL team extracted her early this morning along with Mark Andrews' sister, Claudia who we have in custody at Pearl."

"Is your daughter all right, Sir?"

"Yes, thank God, Sam is fine. Keep looking for Mark Andrews, Capt. Billings, and call me after you've completed your canvass. I'm afraid I agree with your assessment that he's in the wind, but we have to exhaust all possibilities."

"Yes, Sir, I understand. I'll call you if something turns up, and I'm glad your daughter's all right, Admiral."

"Thank you, Captain. Carry on,"

(Fifteen minutes later, Libby finds her husband leaning on the railing of their back deck staring out at the sunlit ocean. Walking up beside him and slipping her arms around his waist, Libby rests her head on his shoulder and sighs contentedly.)

"You get Rosa squared away?"

"I did. She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow."

"Now _that_ sounds like a plan. We could both use a little relaxing sleep ourselves."

"Yes, we could, but I have a feeling you aren't going to get much sleep. You're too tense. What is it, Mike?"

"Mark Andrews has disappeared again. The last time anyone saw him that we can confirm was 2130 hours last night. A S.W.A.T. team and security detachment from Keesler Air Force Base raided his motel room but he had already cleared out by the time they got there."

"You'll find him, Mike. Besides, we have Sam back and she and the baby are just fine. Locating Mark Andrews isn't such a priority now, is it?"

"Libby, neither Sam, nor Steve, nor our grandchild is truly going to be safe until Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich are either in custody or dead, and, right now, the only thing we have tying Irina Kasavich to Sam's abduction is Claudia Andrews' word. I haven't mentioned this to anyone else, but I spoke with Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon and the Russian authorities are refusing to arrest Irina Kasavich based solely on the word of Claudia Andrews. We need Mark Andrews in custody to corroborate her story. If we can't find him or provide the Russians with some other form of proof of Irina's involvement, she's going to go scot free."

"Oh my God, Mike. As long as that woman is free, Sam and the baby and Steve will be in danger! You've got to tell them, Mike. Sam and Steve need to know about this!"

"I'm aware of that, Libby, but they're both exhausted and they need some sleep. I'm fairly certain they'll be all right for the time being. I'll tell Steve later today, _after_ he's had a chance to get some much-needed rest."

"Fair enough, but make sure you tell him; sometime today! Now, come to bed, dear; you're exhausted, too."

(Mike obediently allows Libby to take his hand and lead him to their bedroom and doesn't argue when she proceeds to practically tuck him in, but all the while his mind is racing and he's trying to mentally review all the information they have on Mark Andrews. Even when Libby slips out of her clothes and slides into the bed next to him, his arms automatically going around her and pulling her close, Mike still has trouble relaxing enough to get the rest that he so desperately needs. They need to find Mark Andrews and they need to find him sooner rather than later. Finally, weariness overtakes him and Mike drifts off for some much-needed sleep. . .

Out in the Gulf of Mexico, a sleek cabin cruiser carefully makes its way South as it heads down the Eastern side of the Florida coast. The crew has been paid very well to take their passenger to his destination and to do so by obeying all the laws of every country they visit so as not to draw attention to themselves. In the master cabin, Mark Andrews finishes his glass of champagne and sets the flute on the bedside table. Turning over, he slides his hand down the naked back of the woman lying on her stomach beside him and smiles when she murmurs approvingly. He's a little annoyed that his sister hasn't answered her phone since yesterday morning or returned his messages, but Claudia marches to her own tune and it's not the first time she's ignored her brother. Besides, she was kind enough to provide him with this luxurious boat, plenty of fine food and fine wine, and a beautiful woman to pass the time with until he reaches his destination. If Claudia doesn't want to talk with him right now it's no skin off his back. The only thing he asked of Claudia was that she let him break Samantha McGarrett in before selling her to the slavers in the Orient and Claudia promised him he would have that pleasure. Claudia never breaks her promises; especially ones to her brother. His desire rising with the thought of getting his hands on Sam, Mark Andrews flips the woman over in the bed so she is trapped beneath him and slaps her hard until her face is bleeding and she is begging him for mercy in a voice laced with fear.)


	97. Chapter 97

**CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 23, 2011**

(Late in the afternoon, Steve awakens to find Sam still asleep and cuddled up as close to him as she can possibly be with one arm flung across his stomach, a peaceful expression on her beautiful face. Steve turns a little more on his side and allows his gaze to run over Sam's beautiful face. His hand gently rests on her baby bump and he smiles when he feels McBaby kicking. Leaning down, Steve presses a soft kiss to Sam's baby bump and whispers to his child.)

"Hey, McBaby. Daddy's glad you and Mommy are back home and that you're both okay. Mommy's had a hard time the last week or so and she's really, really tired so don't wake her up, okay? You were very brave while you and Mommy were gone and Daddy is very, very proud of you. Thank you for being a good McBaby and not giving your Mommy a hard time. She had enough trouble to deal with so, thank you very much for being such a well-behaved McBaby. Of course, I wouldn't have expected anything less from you. After all, your Mommy is an awesome lady and it seems that you're just like her; totally awesome! Daddy loves you both very much and I'm really glad you're both back home safe and sound."

(McBaby chooses that precise moment to kick really hard and Steve laughs softly as he rubs his large hand lovingly over Sam's baby bump.)

"That's right, McBaby. Daddy _loves_ you and you _love_ Daddy, and we're both very, very lucky we have Mommy."

(Sam, who has been awake almost from the moment Steve started talking to the baby, just can't resist and her sweet voice floats up to Steve.)

"McBaby's Mommy is a pretty lucky lady, too, because she has you and McBaby, Steve."

"Hey, Beautiful. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm pretty sure you have a lot of lost sleep to make up for, so go back to sleep."

"No, it's okay. I think I've slept enough for a while. What time is it?"

"A little after four. You hungry?"

"Not really, but a nice, long, hot bath sounds really good; that is, if you'll take one with me."

"You're kidding me, right? Of course, I'll take a bath with you. . . I missed you, Sam. I thought I'd go crazy with missing you."

"I know. Mom told me you wouldn't even sleep in our bed while I was gone."

"I couldn't."

"I know; she told me that, too."

"Your mother is a very perceptive lady."

"Yes, she is, and _you_ are the love of my life, Steve. _You_ and McBaby are what kept me from losing my mind while I was on that island. Every time I'd start feeling like I wasn't going to be able to escape; that I'd never be free again, McBaby would kick really hard or I'd see your face as clearly as if you were standing right in front of me, and I knew I couldn't give up. My _family_ kept me sane and focused. I cannot imagine my life without you."

"God, Sam, but I love you. Thank God you were able to type a few clues on the computer in your office before Mark Andrews took you out of there. I would have probably figured out that Dimitri Kasavich was behind your abduction eventually, but your 'heads up' saved us a lot of time. Of course, Claudia Andrews got an injunction making it impossible for us to even contact Dimitri or Alexei in prison let alone question either of them, but we started running financials and background checks on both her and her brother immediately. It was the call from Rosa, though, that was the major turning point in finding you; she's one very brave lady."

"Speaking of Rosa, there's something I want to talk to you about, Steve. She's an American citizen; was born here. She took excellent care of me while I was on that island and she made sure that no one bothered me. In a sense, Rosa was as much Claudia's prisoner as I was; she hadn't been off that island in six years until this morning. I want to do something to help her, Steve, and I've got an idea. Tony told me he and Kono had been discussing putting little Eric in the day care center at the base because her parents liked to travel and there were going to be times when her mother couldn't watch the baby. You and I have already had several conversations about what we're going to do with McBaby when my maternity leave runs out and, I know that Mom is going to want the baby to spend a lot of time with her, but my parents have their own lives to live, too. Caroline and Danny are going to eventually want to children of their own and I'm fairly sure Lana and Chin will, too. I was thinking that we could hire Rosa as a nanny. Between all of us, I'm sure we could afford to pay her enough to enable her to afford her own apartment or house and still have plenty left over to spend on whatever she wants or she could start out as a live-in nanny for us and also take care of Eric. What do you think?"

(A smile curving his sensuous lips, Steve gently brushes the hair back from his wife's face and plants a quick kiss on her forehead.)

"I think, Mrs. McGarrett, that you are absolutely the kindest, most considerate person I've ever known and I also think you've come up with the perfect solution for both Rosa's situation and ours. One thing, though, are you really sure you want to have a _live-in_ nanny? After all, once McBaby gets here and you've recovered from the delivery, we're both going to want to . . . 'Play' again and having another adult in the house twenty-four, seven, three sixty-five might put a bit of a crimp in things."

"I see your point. All right, how about we ask Rosa to stay here as our housekeeper and nanny until we can help her find a place of her own where she's comfortable and a decent car for transportation."

"Agreed."

" 'Kay. Steve?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"About that bath. . ."


	98. Chapter 98

**CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 23, 2011**

**A/N: This chapter contains another one of those pesky acronyms: "SecNav" stands for the Secretary of the Navy. Hope this helps! Michelle**

(Steve calls his in-laws and checks in with them while Sam heads to their bathroom and starts running their bath. Libby immediately assures Steve that Rosa is fine and is still sleeping, and invites him and Sam over for dinner after Steve tells her they have something they want to discuss with Rosa. Mike, overhearing Libby talking with their son-in-law, gets on the phone and tells Steve he has something he needs to discuss with him and Sam and they agree that the McGarrett's will head over to the Thrashers around 1730 hours. When Steve walks into their bathroom, he finds Sam already in the tub sighing appreciatively as the water jets and hot water combine to work the kinks out of her sore muscles. He wastes no time in joining her and simply enjoys once again having Sam's body rest against his as his hands absently rub her baby bump. . .

Sam and Steve get to Libby's and Mike's beach house around 1740 hours and Libby has something that smells wonderful cooking. She tells them that Rosa has just that minute gotten up and is in the shower and they quickly explain Sam's idea to both Libby and Mike.)

"Have you talked with Kono and Tony about this?"

"Not yet, Mom, but I have a feeling they'll be okay with it. Even though the day care on the base would make it possible for both Tony and me to 'pop in' and check on the children any time, I'm not really sure that Kono or I would truly be comfortable with strangers taking care of our children."

"There is that, but Kono and Tony don't really know Rosa, and you've only known her a little over a week, Sweetie. I know she put her own life at risk to call Steve and tell him where you were, but do you know her well enough to trust her with your baby?"

"Rosa took excellent care of me and made sure that the guards on that island left me alone, as well. She could have simply done as Claudia Andrews had instructed and left it at that, but she didn't. She talked to me, Mom, she did everything she could to keep my spirits up, she tried to make things as pleasant as possible for me, and, as you just said, she risked her own life to steal a cellular phone from one of the guards and call Steve. If she had been caught, they would have killed her on the spot; that took a great deal of courage. I trust her, and Steve has already called his friend with the C.I.A. and asked him to check her out. I'm sure they won't find anything negative in her background and. . . Mom, she could have killed me at any time if she had wanted to; she could have put a lethal dose of sedative in my food, but she didn't. Claudia Andrews lied to Rosa when she first hired her and promised her a job as a housekeeper at Claudia's beach house with a good salary and a furnished home of her own, but, in reality, she was a prisoner on that island for six years, and now I want her to know that she has options; I want her to know that she now has the freedom to make her own decisions and have her life back. I owe her at least that much."

(Libby and Mike look at their daughter, proud of the amazing young woman she's become, and then at their son-in-law. Their pride is reflected in Steve's face and there is no doubt that he's behind Sam in this one hundred percent. Exchanging a look with one another, they look back at Sam with smiles on their faces.)

"Well, dear, it seems that you and Steve have thought this through and are taking all the necessary precautions. I think that's a wonderful idea, Sam; especially since Rosa has no family. _We'll_ be her family. Oh, and Sam?"

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Do you think Rosa would be willing to do a little part-time work? It certainly wouldn't hurt my feelings to have some help taking care of this house and, since McBaby will be spending a lot of time here, so will Rosa."

"I don't think she'll mind at all, Mom, but we have to see if she's even willing to work for us, first."

"All right, dear. Now, your father needs to talk with you and Steve, so why don't the three of you go out on the deck and talk while I finish dinner?"

(Sam and Steve dutifully accompany Mike out to the back deck and make themselves comfortable on the cushioned loveseat as Mike takes a seat in one of the matching chairs across from them. Neither Sam nor Steve has missed the fact that Mike appears to be troubled about something, and they're both fairly certain that, whatever it is, it has something to do with the Kasavich family. As he gazes at his daughter and son-in-law, obviously so in love with one another and obviously so completely unable to be any further apart from one another than just a few inches because of their recent separation, a fatherly smile graces his handsome face for a moment before he tells them what has him so concerned.)

"I spoke with Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon earlier. The Russian authorities are refusing to arrest or even question Irina Kasavich based solely on the accusations of Claudia Andrews Kasavich. Unless we can apprehend Mark Andrews and he's willing to give a sworn deposition attesting to the fact that Irina Kasavich had knowledge of and was actively involved in Sam's kidnapping, or we can find some sort of documentation of her involvement, the Russian authorities are refusing to intervene. Apparently, there has never been any evidence of any kind linking Irina to the rest of the family's illegal activities, and she is a very prominent member of her community."

"You can't be serious!"

"Unfortunately, Sweetheart, I'm very serious. Adm. Taunton is coordinating with Homeland Security as well as the C.I.A. to request assistance from all security agencies world-wide in obtaining the proof the Russians are demanding, but, as we all know, the Kasavich family is very powerful and they have covered their tracks incredibly well. Our best bet is to find the proof on our own, and the first place we need to look is at the personal computers and records of both Claudia and Mark Andrews."

"I'm sensing a 'but', Mike."

"Well, Son, that would be because the man who took Bill Harte's place as the Navy's liaison isn't inclined to commit Homeland's resources to this and has made that recommendation to the Director; and I'm afraid that's my fault."

"Your fault? What are you talking about, Dad?"

"SecNav named Rear Admiral Larry Carr as the liaison to Homeland and he's decided to set the tone for his time in this position by recommending Homeland not cooperate in the investigation of Irina Kasavich."

"Why, Dad? Can't you order him to cooperate? I mean, you outrank him."

"That, Sam, is exactly why he's being difficult. Larry Carr and I were at the Naval Academy at the same time but, while I graduated in the top two percent of our class, he graduated at the bottom. Through the years, I was promoted faster than he was and he didn't like that, but the icing on the cake was the fact that we were both admitted to BUD/S in the same class. He rang out."

"And just because he couldn't cut it in SEAL training and quit, he's going to impede the arrest of a possible international arms dealer?"

"He sees it as conserving Homeland's resources and taxpayer dollars."

(Sam and Steve are both completely incensed and their fury is reflected on their faces. Mike can't much blame them; he's rather irate himself.)

"Adm. Taunton is going to talk to the Director of Homeland Security himself and intervene on our behalf. He thinks he might be able to get the Director to allow us access to Homeland's computer files, but, it he can't. . "

"If he can't, it's not a problem, Mike. If, as the Russian authorities believe, Irina Kasavich has never been involved with her family's business, chances are our best bet would be to go through the C.I.A. and Interpol. As far as the Andrews siblings' personal computers, Chin and Tony can go through them and probably do it much quicker than anyone else."

"There would be the problem, Steve. As Mark Andrews was a United States Secret Service Agent and they cannot investigate one of their own, Homeland has been appointed as the investigative agency, and they have physical possession of Mark Andrews' personal computer. Larry Carr is refusing to release it to any other agency, the United States Navy, or Hawaii Five-0, and has said that it will be four to six months before his people can 'get around to taking a look at it', at the very least."

"You're not going to let him get away with this are you, Mike?"

"There's not a lot I can do about it, Steve. However, Adm. Taunton is making an appeal to SecNav to have the computer released to Five-0 on the basis that is it evidence in an ongoing investigation into the Kasavich family's illegal arms sales and Gov. Jameson is adding her voice, as well. Hopefully, we'll get a decision in the next day or so. In the meantime, . ."

"In the meantime, Claudia Andrews Kasavich is all we've got."

"I'm afraid so, Sam."

"Steve, do we have her personal computer yet?"

"Chin got the Attorney General's office to issue a subpoena for her personal computer and any and all records from both her home and office, and asked the San Francisco office of the F.B.I. to serve the subpoena and get the computer to us ASAP. Hopefully, it will be here first thing in the morning."

"I want to interrogate Claudia."

"Sam, I'm not so sure if that's a good idea."

"I am."

"Sam."

"Steve! Neither you nor I nor our baby is going to be free of the damned Kasavich family or the threat they pose until Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich are either dead or in custody. I do not intend to live the rest of my life looking over my shoulder or scared to let our child out of my sight! This has got to end; now! I have more knowledge of the Kasavich family, their business dealings, their contacts, and the way they think than anyone else involved in this, so you might as well make up your mind that it's going to happen. As soon as her personal computer gets here and we've had a chance to go through it, I'm going to question her."

(Steve reluctantly concedes the point and nods just once to indicate his agreement. Mike watches as Sam and Steve hold one another's gazes for a few moments and is struck, yet again, by just how perfectly matched they are and how they can say so much to one another with just a look.)


	99. Chapter 99

**CHAPTER NINETY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 24, 2011**

(Libby sticks her head out the door and tells them that dinner is ready and the three head inside to find Rosa, looking well-rested and much more relaxed than when they last saw her, just entering the kitchen from the hallway. Smiling brightly, Sam immediately embraces the woman and insists she have a seat at the table while Sam and Libby get everyone drinks and put the food on the table. After dinner, Libby and Mike clear the table, much to Rosa's surprise, and Steve invites her to join him and Sam out on the deck. Once they are seated, Sam next to Rosa on the loveseat and Steve across from them, they share their idea with the lady.)

"How are you feeling, Rosa? Were you able to get some sleep?."

"Si, Senora Sam, you parents have been very kind; you have all been very kind. But, now . . . I have nowhere to go. What am I to do now?"

"Oh, Rosa, please don't worry. We didn't rescue you from that island to just abandon you! You are a guest here; our guest and all you have to do for the time being is rest. If there is anywhere you want to go or anything you want to do, just let us know and we'll do our best to make it happen."

"But, Senora, I have lived on that island for six years, and, while I did have television and Senorita Andrews sent DVDs of new movies often, that is all I had. Where would I go, what would I do, and. . . I have no money."

"Rosa, my wife and I are very grateful to you for what you did to help me find her. If you had not called me, at great risk to your personal safety, we might still be looking for her. Her parents are also very grateful to you, and we all want to help you in any way we can. Don't worry about money right now. As my wife said, you are our guest at the moment."

"Thank you, Senor Steve, but I cannot remain here as a guest in Senora Sam's parent's home forever."

"Have you thought about what you want to do now, Rosa?"

"I don't know what to do, Senora. I have done nothing but take care of Senorita Andrews' house and her guests for so long that I know nothing else. I do not wish to be a burden to anyone, I want to make my own way and I am a good worker, a hard worker. Maybe I could find a job in a factory or a plant of some kind."

"Actually, Rosa, my husband and I have talked about your situation and we'd like to offer you a job."

"A job? What kind of job, Senora?"

"As our housekeeper and as our baby's nanny. Of course, if there's something else you'd rather do, we'll help you any way we can. The decision is yours and you won't hurt our feelings if you decide there's something else you'd rather do, but . . . I know we've only known each other a short time, but you took very good care of me on that island and I know you have a good, kind heart. If you decide to accept our job offer, I know our baby would be in very capable hands and that you would protect our child as if it were your own."

"And Lt. Cmdr. and Mrs. Montgomery, who you met earlier, have a baby boy, Eric, and they've also been looking into child care options. We were thinking that, if you accept our offer, you could take care of Eric as well. Your salary would be very generous and we'd be glad to help you find a house or apartment you'd be comfortable in and a car, as well. You do drive, don't you, Rosa?"

"Si, Senor Steve, but it has been some time."

"Not a problem. We'll just help you get used to driving again and you'll be fine. What do you think, Rosa; are you at all interested in our offer? I know it would make my wife very happy if you would accept."

(The woman looks at both Sam and Steve for a few moments while thinking over everything they've said. When her eyes fill with tears, Sam is immediately alarmed.)

"Rosa, what's wrong? We haven't upset you, have we?"

"No. . . No, Senora, you haven't upset me. It's just that. . . No one has ever been so kind to me before."

"You don't have to give us your answer right now, Rosa. We just wanted you to know that you have options. If you choose to return to California, we'll help you."

"I have no one in California, Senor Steve. My parents are dead, and I have no other family or friends. I . . I have no one."

"Yes, you do, Rosa, you have us. We'll be your family now if you'll let us."

"I would like that Senora Sam, and. . I would like to take care of you baby."

"Good. Of course you realize that my mother is going to be spending a lot of time with the baby, so the two of you are going to become very good friends, as well."

"I would like that. I have not had any friends in many years."

"Well, you do now."

(Libby has been glancing out onto the deck every chance she's had and doesn't realize she's been caught until she hears her husband's voice right behind her.)

"If you want to know what's going on, Libby, just go out there."

"Honestly, Mike, must you always sneak up on me like that?"

"I didn't sneak, Libby. You were so wrapped up in what's going on out there on the deck that you didn't hear me."

"There's nothing wrong with my hearing; you snuck up on me, Michael Thrasher!"

"I did not sneak up on you, Libby!"

"Did!"

"Didn't!"

"Did, too!"

"Did not!"

(Neither of them has heard the back door open and are unaware that their little argument is being witnessed by Sam, Steve, and Rosa until Steve interrupts their rapid-fire back and forth.)

"What are you two, six?"

"Senora Sam, are you sure it's your baby who needs a nanny?"


	100. Chapter 100

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 24, 2011**

(The hour is late as the cabin cruiser carrying Mark Andrews anchors in the waters off of the Florida coast; far enough from the shore to be in international waters at Andrews' express instructions. Leaving the master cabin to step out on the deck for some fresh air, the man tells a crewman who is straightening up the galley there's some trash in the master cabin that needs to be thrown away. The sneer on Andrews' face is reflected in the crewman's as he nods and calls another member of the crew to assist him. Andrews pours himself a glass of scotch before stepping out on the deck and going up the stairs to the observation deck to enjoy the clear, beautiful night. He pulls out his phone and tries calling his sister again and again the call goes straight to her voice mail. Claudia has never before gone this long without returning his call and he's beginning to worry. Sipping the scotch and savoring the warmth that spreads through him, his thoughts turn to his sister and why she isn't answering her phone. The last time he talked to Claudia three days ago, she was going to fly to Hawaii, pick up the doctor, and go straight to the island. If the doctor thought it was safe to do so, she was then going to take Samantha McGarrett to a private clinic for the Caesarean section. Once the baby had been delivered, Claudia was to have called him with the arrangements for getting the baby to him so he could take the child to Irina Kasavich. If the doctor did not feel it would be safe to take the baby yet, Claudia was to let him know so that he could find something to amuse him until it was time to deliver the infant to Irina. Either way, he should have heard something from his sister by now. The sound of a muted splash reaches his ears and he glances down and to his left in time to see the body of the woman who was "entertaining" him, wrapped in blood-soaked sheets and weighted down, disappear below the dark surface of the water. Knowing that the crewmen will make sure the cabin is cleaned up and fresh linens are put on the bed and will be quick about it, Andrews turns his thoughts back to his sister. Deciding that he will give Claudia a little more time, he finishes his Scotch and heads back to the master cabin. Thoughts of securing the services of another beautiful young woman until he hears from his sister first and foremost in his mind, he quickly falls asleep in the now pristine cabin. . .

After a very red-faced Mike and an equally red-faced Libby managed to collect themselves somewhat, and Sam's and Steve's unrestrained laughter is NOT helping, they sit down in the den with Rosa and their amused children and discuss Rosa helping Libby out as well as Sam. Rosa readily agrees as she is truly starting to relax and feel very comfortable with these people, and is very grateful that she has been given another chance at a more normal life. After telling Rosa to take a couple of days and re-acclimate herself to life away from the island, Sam and Steve tell everyone good night and head home. . .

The next morning, Sam and Steve are at the base at 0730 hours and Danny, Kono, Chin, and Tony join them at the command center in the SEALs' building. Sam, once again every inch the naval officer, watches as Chin and Tony boot up Claudia's personal laptop and office computers and begin to search through the files. An hour later, Sam and Steve are standing side by side right behind Chin's and Tony's chairs as they watch the information streaming across both computer screens. Danny and Kono have not been idle. Kono has been researching Irina Kasavich and trying to track down her whereabouts while Danny has been contacting Interpol and the security agencies of other countries to see if there has been any "chatter" about the Kasavich family or any arms deals related to them. Danny has also been attempting to locate Mark Andrews but the man seems to have completely disappeared. Chin, a look of utter frustration on his usually calm face, throws up his hands in disgust after he agitatedly types yet another command into Claudia's office computer.)

"There's nothing here; not even any legal files related to either Dimitri or Alexei Kasavich or their cases."

"That's odd. You'd think their attorney would have drafts of motions, injunctions, or something on her office computer."

"Yeah, Kono, you would, but there's nothing here. You got anything, Tony?"

"Household expenses for both her apartment and the house on the island where they held Sam, personal financial information, all legitimate as far as I can tell, and an appointment calendar with hair and spa appointments. . . Here's something interesting . . Apparently, Claudia Andrews set up an account for Rosa Garcia at a bank in San Francisco when she hired her and has been making regular monthly deposits into the account for her salary."

(Tony lets loose with a low whistle that quickly has everyone's attention.)

"According to this, Rosa should have over two hundred thousand dollars in the account."

"Well, that certainly solves one problem. There's nothing else in Claudia's laptop that might tell us where Mark Andrews is or tying Claudia to Irina Kasavitch?"

"Maybe, Commander. Chin, take a look at this, please. There's a firewall, pretty much what you or I have on our personal computers, but there's something funny about this one."

"Let me look. . . Yeah, I see what you mean."

"What is it?"

"Looks like she's hidden some files, Steve."

"Can you get to them?"

"I can try, but it's going to take a while."

"Do what you can, Chin. Danny, Kono, you guys come up with anything?"

"Actually, Steve, I have. Irina Kasavich hasn't been outside the Kasavich compound, which is about twelve miles outside of St. Petersburg, in over six months except to attend a political fund-raiser in the city three weeks ago according to the C.I.A. Four days ago, a furniture store in St. Petersburg made a delivery to the compound, but they don't have a clue as to what was delivered."

"Anyone want to bet me it was baby furniture? Kono, see if you can get the name of that store. If we can get a list of what was delivered to Irina Kasavich, we'll have proof that she actively participated in the planning of my kidnapping, or, at least, that she conspired to kidnap our baby."

"On it, Sam."

"Danny?"

"No one's picked up anything related to the Kasavich family since Alexei's capture. I'm going to start going through the paper files from Claudia's offices and see if I can find anything."

"Doubt you're going to have much luck, Danny, but it's got to be done."


	101. Chapter 101

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 27, 2011**

(Chin and Tony continue to work on locating the files in Claudia Andrews' laptop and have some success. However, they run into a firewall and have to take the time to hack the security features. Another hour has passed and everyone except the two of them is getting very restless; Sam, in particular. Frowning in a very good imitation of her husband, Sam picks up the phone on the conference and dials an extension.)

"This is Cmdr. McGarrett. Have Claudia Kasavich brought over to the SEALs' building and placed in an inteview room immediately, and I want a security detail with her at all times."

"What are you doing, Sam? We don't have access to the files, yet."

"I'm aware of that, Steve, but I want her to 'sweat' a little bit."

"Making her sit in an uncomfortable chair in an interview room is going to do that?"

"Probably not but it beats letting her lie around on a slightly more comfortable bed. Maybe it will piss her off enough so that she'll give herself away."

"Wouldn't count on it, Beautiful; Claudia Andrews Kasavich is one determined woman."

"So am I."

(Mark Andrews sits on the upper deck of the yacht sipping Scotch and watches the two, well-endowed young women one of the crewmen brought back from Miami as they laughingly step onto the main deck. It is a perfectly beautiful day with blue skies dotted with white, fluffy clouds, and brilliant sunshine washing over the ocean. It was a simple matter for the crewman to take the speedboat to Miami and find the two women eager for the chance to spend a few days on a luxurious yacht with a handsome man, and Mark Andrews is looking forward to having some fun with the two women later on. Right now, however, he is awaiting a call from one of his contacts in Miami who is looking into the whereabouts of his sister. That something has happened to Claudia is obvious, exactly what has happened is what Andrews needs to know. As much as he's enjoying living the life of leisure, he can't do it indefinitely. . .

Chin and Tony have been working diligently to access the hidden files in Claudia's computer and are closer to getting what they need, but it is a very time-consuming task. As for Claudia, she has been sitting in an interview room in the SEALs' building for nearly forty-five minutes and is beginning to show signs of agitation. When the security detachment brought her to the building and into the room, they handcuffed one wrist to the large, metal ring under the side of the table so the woman cannot get up and walk around nor can she raise her right hand any further than the table top. An angry frown graces her face, and she repeatedly runs her left hand through her hair in agitation. The people in the conference room watch her on one of the flat-screen monitors as Chin and Tony continue to work. . .

Nearly thirty minutes later, Chin and Tony accomplish their task and everyone crowds around them to look at the files as they are opened. One pertains to the legal cases of both Dimitri and Alexei Kasavich and nothing else. Several others, however, contain documentation that Claudia did, in fact, exchange several phone calls with Irina Kasavich about sending the McGarrett's baby to the woman in Russia, and one contains copies of emails exchanged between Claudia and someone named Lena Petrov who apparently works for Irina confirming Mark Andrews will deliver the baby. The documentation is more than enough to hang both Claudia and Irina Kasavich out to dry, and should certainly be enough proof to get Rear Admiral Carr to release Mark Andrews' computer to Five-0. Tony begins to print out the necessary documents while Chin gets on the phone with Adm. Carr's office. Steve is furious and his face shows it, but Sam is as cool as a cucumber and even has a small smile on her face. Taking the file folder Chin hands her, Sam smiles sweetly at her husband and heads to the interview room. . .

Mark Andrews stretches like a cat and smiles indulgently at the two young women who are putting on bikinis at the foot of the large bed in the master cabin. Making a mental note to reward the crewman for bringing him such talented playmates, Andrews settles back in the bed and tells the women he will join them on deck in a little while. Once they have left the cabin, he picks up his phone and calls his contact. Ten minutes later, Mark Andrews ends the call with his contact with shaking hands. His sister has been arrested by Hawaii Five-0 and is being held pending federal charges of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping among others! Panic takes control for a few minutes and Mark Andrews begins to break out in a cold sweat as he reacts without thinking. Samantha McGarrett is back in Hawaii, safe and sound with her husband, his sister is in custody, and he's been left hanging. Although he and Claudia have been very careful in their communications with one another, he's very worried. He copied the emails he received from his sister explaining her plan and his part in it onto his personal laptop, encrypted it, and hid it in a "phantom" file that should not be detectable if anyone gets their hands on the computer. Claudia warned him not to do such a thing but he did anyway so that he wouldn't have to bother with remembering certain names and numbers. He has a copy of the file with him, but there's still the one on his laptop to worry about. Quickly locating the jump drive with the information he needs, Andrews pulls the laptop his sister provided for his use on the boat out of one of the cabinets and quickly boots it up. Once he has accessed the information he needs, he pulls out the cellular phone provided to him by Irina Kasavich, as she provided one to Claudia so there phone records could not be accessed and numbers traced, and places a call. Andrews welcomes the burn of the nearly full glass of Scotch he downs while waiting for his call to be answered. If he cannot get help from Irina, he's in big trouble. Suddenly, a way to extricate himself from this mess comes to him and a slow grin spreads across his face as he realizes that all is not lost.)


	102. Chapter 102

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 27, 2011**

(A calm expression on her face, Sam strolls into the interview room and takes a seat on the opposite side of the table from Claudia Andrews Kasavich. Sam simply places the manila folder she brought with her on the table top and places her hands on top of it with her fingers interlaced as she gazes at Claudia much like she would look at a caged animal in a zoo. The woman opposite her returns Sam's even gaze with only the slightest trace of animosity, and the two women sit this way for several minutes. Sam's body language is completely relaxed and at ease while Claudia's projects tenseness. The group from the conference room has moved into the observation room are all now watching the two women with great interest. After a little while, even Chin's patience has just about come to an end at the lack of conversation or activity in the room on the other side of the one-way mirror, and he's the one, surprisingly, who expresses frustration.)

"What's Sam waiting for? How long can she just sit there like that?"

"Until she gets the response from Claudia Andrews that she just got from you, Cuz. You and Steve and Danny all look like you're about to jump out of your skin and Tony's not far behind. Any of you ever heard of 'psychological warfare'? Sam's sitting there looking like she hasn't a care in the world, and Claudia looks like she wants to scream or yell or curse or hit something. By the time Sam _does_ start questioning her, Claudia will be so wound up she'll speak before she thinks and just might give up both her brother and Irina Kasavich."

"Remind me to never allow Sam to interrogate me about anything."

"No kidding, Chin. Wonder if she's taught Caroline any of her tactics?"

"Would you two please shut up? I think Claudia's about to snap!"

"Are you sure _you're_ not the one who's about to snap, Steve?"

(Steve just glares at Kono and she just smiles as she looks around the room at Steve, Danny, Chin, and Tony and is amused by the fact that the four of them really do look like they're about to come apart at the seams. In the interrogation room, Claudia Andrews Kasavich is wearing the very same expression as the four men and Kono moves a chair directly in front of the one-way mirror, sits down, and kicks back in anticipation of watching Sam tear the woman apart. Her husband and three co-workers, obviously too agitated to sit, assume the exact same stance; legs spread slightly apart, arms folded over their chests, and frowns on their faces, and Kono really wishes she had some popcorn. She can't decide which show is going to be better; watching Sam rip Claudia a new one or watching the four men act like total idiots. . .

Mark Andrews ends his call and feels much better. All her life Irina Kasavich had been the quiet, uninvolved member of the family and there hasn't been a hint of scandal attached to her name. She is a highly respected member of her community and is also highly thought of by the Russian "powers that be". Now, however, Irina is involved in the plot to kidnap Samantha McGarrett and take her baby up to her elegant eyeballs, and Mark Andrews knows exactly how to get what he wants out of the woman. After dropping a few none-too-subtle hints to Lena Petrov, Irina Kasavich's personal assistant, about having proof of Irina's involvement in the plot, Andrews didn't have to wait long before the great woman, herself, was on the phone with him. A cold, calculating smile forms on Andrews' face as he runs their conversation through his head again. . . )

"_Mr. Andrews, this is Irina Kasavich. My assistant tells me you have something of importance to discuss with me."_

"_Yes, Ms. Kasavich, I do. As I'm sure you probably know by now, my sister, Claudia, has been arrested and is being held at the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. You probably also know that Samantha McGarrett was rescued from the island and she is back home with her family and still very pregnant."_

"_Yes, Mr. Andrews, I'm well aware of all you have said. Why are you calling me?"_

"_Because, with my sister, your niece by marriage, being held by the authorities, your plans for Mrs. McGarrett and her baby have, seemingly, been disrupted. I know that it was Dimitri's express desire that Samantha and Steve McGarrett pay for what they've done to your family, and I believe I have a way to accomplish that; I have a plan to, not only deliver the McGarrett's baby to you, but take Samantha McGarrett away from her husband and family and sell her into the slave markets of the Orient, as well, just as my sister had planned. However, with Claudia incarcerated, you and I are going to have to come to an agreement."_

"_Why should I help you, Mr. Andrews?"_

"_I have in my possession, documentation tying you directly to the plot to kidnap Mrs. McGarrett, take her baby, and make both of them disappear. If you do not help me, I will make sure that this information reaches the proper authorities immediately and you will join both your nephews and my sister in jail for the rest of your life."_

"_I see. Just what is this plan of yours, Mr. Andrews?"_

"_Samantha McGarrett is due to deliver her baby in the next few weeks. We allow that to happen and then I will, once again, abduct both Mrs. McGarrett and the child, deliver the infant to you, and Mrs. McGarrett to the slave traders. In return, you will provide me with the funds necessary to carry out my plan as well as my sister's share of the Kasavich fortune. Once we have completed our transaction, I will disappear from your life never to bother you again."_

"_And this so-called proof you have of my involvement?"_

"_I will retain that information as an insurance policy in the event you ever decide to . . . Eliminate me, and before you even think about simply having me 'taken out' and trying to obtain your goal without me, allow me to inform you that the evidence of your involvement is in a very safe place and, should anything untoward happen to me, if certain people do not hear from me on a regular basis, that information will immediately be given to Cmdr. Steve McGarrett of Hawaii Five-0. Besides, I have an intimate knowledge of the habits of both Samantha and Steve McGarrett, their family and friends, and I have numerous assets in Hawaii that will follow my instructions to the letter. My offer is the quickest and easiest way for both of us to get what we want and you know it so why don't you just agree and make both our lives easier."_

"_You are a very cunning man, Mr. Andrews; nearly as cunning as your sister. Very well, I will help you, but I want both Samantha McGarrett and her child delivered to me. After everything that woman has put my family through, I want her to suffer greatly for her interference before she begins her new life as a human slave."_

"_Here's what I need from you at the moment as well as the number of my off-shore account in the Cayman Islands. I will be checking this account in one hour and, if you have not deposited the down payment of one million dollars into that account by that time, I won't hesitate to send the evidence I have against you to Cmdr. McGarrett. Agreed?"_

"_Agreed."_

(Mark Andrews is not fool, though, and he doesn't trust Irina Kasavich to keep her end of their bargain so he makes another call to one of his contacts in Hilo, Hawaii and arranges for another yacht with a crew of people Andrews trusts to meet him in the waters just off the coast of Florida. Once that's taken care of, Andrews informs the current crew of the change of plans and then has the two women sent to the master cabin for some fun and games. . .

Throwing the cellular phone across her bedroom at the Kasavich compound just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia, Irina Kasavich begins to angrily pace in the large room. She is furious that she finds herself in such an untenable position, but Mark Andrews is correct; his plan _is_ the quickest and easiest way to ensure that Dimitri's wishes will be carried out and she has no choice but to cooperate with Andrews for the time being. However, although Irina has never been actively involved in her family's business, she is well-acquainted with all of her nephew's business contacts, and has no doubt that any of these "business associates" will be glad to help her as a favor to Dimitri and Alexei. Calmer now that she is thinking more clearly, Irina puts her mind to thinking of exactly who she should contact to get rid of Mark Andrews once he has delivered Samantha McGarrett and her baby to Irina. .

Sam's expression and body language hasn't changed one iota but, inside, she is smirking because Claudia Andrews Kasavich has just about reached her limit and Sam knows it. The woman's face is a study in angry frustration, she is beginning to squirm in the uncomfortable chair, and her eyes reflect her fury. Wanting to push her just a little bit further, Sam allows a small, smug smile to form on her face as she stares the woman down.)


	103. Chapter 103

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 28, 2011**

(Claudia Andrews Kasavich sees the smirk forming on Samantha McGarrett's face and that one, small gesture sets her blood to boiling. Narrowing her eyes in a hate-filled stare, Claudia sits a little straighter in the very uncomfortable chair and leans as far toward Sam as she can; her voice dripping venom.)

"You think you're so smart, don't you, Mrs. McGarrett? You think, because you have me in custody, that all your worries are over. Well, I have news for you, you and your husband and your brat will never be safe. The Kasavich family empire is vast, and has many friends in many different countries. You are a fool if you think, for one moment, that you have won!"

"I am an Officer in the United States Navy and I am in uniform and on-duty. The correct manner in which to address me is as 'Commander McGarrett' or 'Commander'."

"You have far more serious things to be worried about that how I address you! You may have been granted a temporary reprieve for the moment, but, make no mistake about it, you are in very grave danger. No one crosses the Kasavich family without paying a very steep price!"

"The only remaining member of the Kasavich family who is still free is Irina Kasavich and we have enough evidence of her involvement in the plot to kidnap me and my baby to put her away for life. In fact, the Russian authorities should be getting ready to arrest her right about now. Really, Claudia, did you think we wouldn't find the files on the personal computers belonging to you and your brother?"

(Sam's demeanor has been perfectly calm and collected the entire time and Claudia has been getting more and more agitated. Although they don't have access to Mark Andrews' personal computer yet, Sam's bluff causes Claudia to turn a shade paler as she becomes more unsure of herself. In the observation room, Kono is smiling broadly and Steve, Danny, Chin, and Tony are beginning to lose their fierce frowns.)

"We will have your brother in custody soon and, with the arrest of Irina Kasavich, as well, the threat to me and my family is effectively eliminated. You're facing numerous federal and international charges any one of which carries a life sentence. If you cooperate, I might be willing to ask the prosecutor for leniency."

"Cooperate? Why should I cooperate? If, as you say, you have evidence to arrest Irina and my brother, what else can I possibly give you?"

"Oh, we _do_ have evidence, Claudia and plenty of it, at that. Never fear, you are going to prison for the rest of your life whether you help us or not. I just thought you might like to have an easier time of things once you're there."

"You tell me I'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison regardless, yet you want to make things easier for me? There is no such thing as an 'easy' time in prison, _Cmdr._ McGarrett; there's nothing you can do for me so you can go to Hell!"

(Shrugging her shoulders, Sam calmly stands up and picks up the manila folder from the table top as she starts to walk toward the door; sending a comment over her shoulder.)

"Knowing of your . . . _need _to be with other people; your 'enormous appetite', I thought you might want to be placed in the general population. Obviously, I was mistaken and solitary confinement, with no other human contact whatsoever, is what you want. I'll see you in court, Claudia."

(Sam's words make no sense to the five people in the observation room, but Claudia Andrews Kasavich immediately understands what Sam's getting at and panic floods through her. Sam has zeroed in on the woman's Achilles' heel, and she nearly pulls the arm that is handcuffed to the table from its socket as she nearly jumps out of her chair.)

"Wait!"

(Sam, having reached the door and opened it slightly, pauses a moment to swallow her utter and complete disgust before turning around and staring at the woman with a blank expression. Claudia has been reduced from being intensely defiant and angry to being somewhat meek and her expression is pleading.)

"If I cooperate and tell you what you want to know, what will you be willing to do for me?"

"As I said, Claudia, I will ask the prosecutor to intercede of your behalf with the judge and have you placed in the general population instead of isolation."

"All right. What is it you want to know?"

(Sam walks back over to the table and slams the folder down on top of it before placing both palms flat on the surface and staring angrily down at the other woman; the revulsion evident on her face. In the observation room, those watching and listening exchange somewhat confused glances with one another; totally at a loss as to what just transpired between Sam and the other woman.)

"Where is your brother?"

"I . . I don't know."

"Yes, you do, or, at the very least, you have a damned good idea! Where is he?"

"He. . . He's on a yacht, the _Monarch_, somewhere along the Florida coast. He's waiting for me to call him and tell him when and where to pick up your baby and delivery it to Irina."

"Very good, Claudia. Now, as you probably know, this interview is being recorded, both audio and visual, so I want you to start at the beginning and explain exactly how the plot to kidnap me and my baby came about, who was involved, everything, and leave nothing, not a name or phone number, out."

"Will you. . . . Will you talk to the prosecutor?"

"You have my word."

(And Claudia Andrews Kasavich proceeds to give a detailed explanation of exactly what Sam asked while Sam, nausea building inside her at the pure evil and total depravity of the woman sitting in front of her, stands calmly by and listens. In the other room, emotions are running high and Steve looks like he would cheerfully strangle Claudia Andrews Kasavich with his bare hands if he could. By the time the woman is through and Sam is following her and her security detachment out of the room, they have more than enough evidence against both Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich. Steve steps toward Sam to offer her his support and comfort, but she shakes her head and bolts for the Ladies' room. Not caring if there's anyone else in there or not, Steve promptly follows his wife to find her throwing up violently in the nearest toilet. Grabbing some paper towels and wetting them with cold water, Steve slips a supporting arm around Sam after she flushes away her stomach contents and steps out of the narrow stall.)

"God, Sam, are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine! You just threw up, your pale, and, damn it, now you're crying!"

"Steve, I'm okay now. I just had to . . . I'm fine. Really. C'mon, let's get out of here; I need some fresh air."


	104. Chapter 104

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 28, 2011**

(Once they are outside of the building in the bright sunshine, Sam regains a little color and seems to be feeling better. She and Steve walk over to a bench located below a large shade tree and sit down; Steve's arm protectively around Sam's shoulders.)

"What just happened back there, Sam?"

"The main reason Claudia and Dimitri Kasavich got along so well, the main reason they got married is because they both have a proclivity for really sick, twisted, deviant sex. Claudia told me all about it just before you guys got to that island; she even bragged about having sex with Alexei while Dimitri watched. She also said that neither she nor Dimitri would ever dream of denying each other the opportunity to have their fun wherever, whenever, and with whomever they wanted to, and then. . . Then she said she understood why Dimitri was so fascinated with me."

(Sam nearly laughs at the horrified expression on Steve's face, but she, too, is utterly revolted by the very thought of Claudia Andrews even thinking of her in _that_ way.)

"God, Sam, no wonder you threw up; I'm seriously thinking about doing the same thing, myself! So that's how you knew threatening to put her in solitary confinement would get the information out of her."

"Yeah, and that's why _I_ had to be the one to interrogate her; although, Kono might have been effective, too, but I think Claudia has a thing for blondes; just like Dimitri."

(Suddenly, they look at one another and then burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of their conversation. When they have regained control of themselves, they sober up quickly because the threat is still very much out there and will be until Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich are dealt with. . .

When they go back in side the building and into the conference room, they are met with lots of frowns and frustration. Kono is just sliding her phone into her pocket and is the first one in line to speak with them.)

"No go on the furniture thing, Sam. According to the C.I.A., Irina Kasavich collects valuable antiques and the store makes frequent deliveries to her home. They people they have watching the house weren't close enough to see exactly what was taken out of the truck and the furniture company is refusing to tell the authorities what was on the shipping manifest."

(Danny's next.)

"And, even though we uploaded the footage from Sam's interrogation of Claudia Andrews to the C.I.A. and they sent it to the Russian authorities, the guys in Moscow are still saying that it's just Claudia's word against Irina's. They want documented proof of some sort before they'll launch an investigation or bring Irina in for questioning."

(And now it's Chin's turn and he looks ready to stroke out.)

"Homeland still won't release Mark Andrews' personal computer. Rear Adm. Larry Carr has decided that Homeland needs the information from Andrews' laptop to complete their investigation and fears that it will be compromised if another agency gets their hands on it first."

(Sam and Steve just stare at the three other people like they have two heads for a moment before looking at one another with identical frowns of frustration. Tony, who has been listening and observing, simply pulls out his cellular phone, hits a speed dial, and waits for an answer.)

"Adm. Henderson."

"Good morning, Admiral. We've run into a bit of a snag over here and could use your help."

"What seems to be the problem, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery?"

"The Russian authorities and Homeland Security, Sir. We've been through the proper channels, but we keep hitting brick walls; especially with Homeland Security. I was thinking, Sir, you _are_ a personal friend of the Vice-President's."

"Are you suggesting I call the Vice-President of the United States and ask him to intervene, Commander?"

"Yes, Sir, that's exactly what I'm asking."

"I'll be right there, Commander, and I'll expect a sitrep when I arrive."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Once the Admiral arrives, he is brought up to speed and an infuriated frown falls into place on his face when they are through with their presentation. He then reviews the footage of Claudia's interrogation, casting Sam empathetic glances several times throughout, and then looks over the responses they received from the Russian government and Homeland Security. When he's through, he wordlessly pulls out his cellular phone and places a call, getting up from his seat as he does so, and strolls down the hall to Tony's office. Fifteen minutes later, he returns to the conference room with an expression on his face none of them can read and looks around the room at all of them before his gaze pauses on the clock.)

"You should be receiving a call from Homeland Security within the hour confirming Mark Andrews' computer has been placed on a military transport our of Andrews Air Force Base en route to Pearl. They are also sending a security detail with the computer and it will be delivered directly to your custody, Cmdr. McGarrett, er, that's Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett. You will also be receiving a call from someone at the State Department regarding the situation with the Russian authorities."

"Thank you, Admiral; we really appreciate your help."

"Don't thank me, yet, Commander. If you don't manage to apprehend Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich, you're going to personally explain why to the Vice-President of the United States, and that one's for Cmdr. Steve McGarrett. Call me with a sitrep no later than 1600 hours."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(As soon as the Admiral is out of the room, Steve rounds on Tony.)

"One, there's no way in Hell we're _not_ going to get Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich, but, two, if _I_ have to personally explain a mission failure to the Vice-President of the United States, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery, you can bet your six _you_ are going to be standing right beside me. Clear?"

"Crystal, Sir, but, as you said, that's not going to be a problem."


	105. Chapter 105

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 28, 2011**

(Danny, who has been monitoring one of the computer terminals and yells a very loud, "Hey!", which gets everyone's attention and takes the heat off of Tony, for the moment.)

"The Coast Guard just found the _Monarch_; it's anchored in international waters off the coast of Florida; Miami to be specific. They're requesting permission from State to board the vessel. The nearest Navy vessel is four hours away."

"Tony!"

"I know, I know, I'm calling Adm. Henderson right now."

(The U.S. Coast Guard really doesn't have the authority to board or seize a vessel in international waters unless they suspect it is carrying illegal drugs and/or receive permission to do so from the U.S. State Department and they all know it. While Tony is on the phone with Adm. Henderson to see if he can expedite the Coast Guard's request to the State Department, Steve calls his father-in-law to seek Mike's assistance in getting a SEAL team from Norfolk N.A.S. in the air and en route to the _Monarch_. Traveling by air, the SEALs might be able to reach the vessel well before the nearest U.S. Navy ship. While all that is going on, Sam receives a call from Homeland Security advising her that Mark Andrews' laptop is in the air and should arrive at Pearl in about four hours. . . .

Having been picked up by his Miami contact, Mark Andrews sits in the larger of two salons on the much bigger and more luxurious yacht his contact brought and wonders how long it will take the authorities to locate the _Monarch_ and her crew. Doesn't really matter if they find it in the next hour or next week; the boat was swept clean of prints and DNA, the crew and Andrews' two playmates were effectively "silenced" by his contact's associates, and, best of all, there are no witnesses as to who picked him up or which direction they took. By his calculations, they should be able to reach Hawaii in just a few short days and he can then decide how to best proceed with his plan. His Miami associate has already told him that Irina Kasavich has people looking for him and that they took the liberty of eliminating two of those people and leaving them where they could be easily found by Irina's assets. With the money Irina transferred to his off-shore account, plus what was already there, he can do whatever he wants when he wants. Smiling at the fact that Irina has sadly underestimated him, Andrews heads down to the plush master cabin to join the young lady who came with the yacht courtesy of his friend. . . .

Irina Kasavich is in her rose garden cutting some flowers for a bouquet that will grace her dinner table that evening when one of Dimitri's lieutenants, a grim expression on his face, joins her.)

"Mark Andrews has escaped. We found two of our men in Miami and they did not die quickly nor easily. There was a note pinned to one of them; it was a message from Andrews."

"Oh? And just what did this note say?"

" 'I will allow you this one slip because it is what I would do were I in your shoes. However, send anyone else to look for me and I will not hesitate to send the information we have previously discussed to the proper authorities.' What do you wish us to do?"

"Nothing; for now. Mr. Andrews will show up eventually and then we will take care of him. Move our assets to Hawaii, to the island of Oahu and tell them to wait for further instructions."

"Yes, Ma'am."

(So irritated is she that Mark Andrews got away from her men that Irina pricks her finger on a thorn and immediately places the offending digit in her mouth for a moment to quell the pain. Now knowing that Mark Andrews will not be as easy to get rid of as she first thought, Irina sits down on a bench and thinks over her options. She will have exactly what she wants and she will not allow anyone to get in her way; especially Mark Andrews. .

Steve ends his call and lets everyone know that Mike is on his way and Tony reports that Adm. Henderson is placing a call to the Pentagon. Figuring that it certainly can't hurt to have all the help they can get, Steve calls the Governor and explains the situation. Gov. Jameson immediately agrees to call the U.S. Secretary of State personally and see if she can secure permission for the Coast Guard to board the _Monarch_. She also tells Steve that the Governor of Florida just happens to be a friend of hers and she will make that call, as well, thinking that a call to State from the Governor of the state the yacht is anchored near might be helpful. . . .

Caroline, having spent the morning in the air flying training exercises, stops by the conference room to see if Danny's free for lunch and they all realize that it is nearly 1300 hours. Once she realizes what's going on, Caroline volunteers to make a lunch run for everyone since she doesn't have to be in the air for another two hours and, besides, the CAG is one of the people who needs to eat. In short order, she has a list of what everyone wants to eat and is out the door; meeting her father on the way out of the building and getting his order, as well. Mike walks into the conference room and hopes he's bringing good news.)

"A SEAL team is in the air and on their way to Miami as we speak, and they'll either board the boat or assist the Coast Guard depending on what State decides. Now, how about someone gives me a sitrep."

(And Sam proceeds to do just that as they await a visual on the _Monarch_ from a live video feed from the Coast Guard cutter keeping an eye on the boat. The first thing they all notice is that no one's visible on board the boat and the cutter's skipper advises them they aren't reading any heat signatures. Knowing that this doesn't bode well, the people in Hawaii try their best to be patient as they await word from the State Department.)


	106. Chapter 106

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 28, 2011**

(Three hours later, they are still waiting for word from the State Department. The SEAL team from Norfolk has arrived on site and is currently cooling their heels on board the Coast Guard cutter. Sam has just gotten a call informing her that the plane carrying Mark Andrews' personal computer will be arriving at Pearl in approximately thirty minutes and, after making a sarcastic joke about the fact that they must've had a good tail wind, she contacts base security and arranges for a detachment of Marines to be on the tarmac when the plane lands. They then sit and wait. None of them were really all that hungry, but they eat the lunches Caroline got them just to have something to do. Sam is now thirty-three weeks pregnant and is having a hard time getting comfortable either sitting or standing, so she sits for a few minutes, stands for a few minutes, and paces in between. Steve, concern written all over his face, tracks her with his eyes every time she moves and silently curses the entire Kasavich family and anyone and everyone who's ever been associated with them for putting his wife through this. The call from the State Department has still not come through by the time Sam needs to head to the airfield to meet the plane carrying Mark Andrews' computer and Chin and Tony go with her. Steve really wants to go with Sam, but he needs to stay put in case State calls so he can give the order to board the yacht to the skipper of the Coast Guard cutter. Danny notices the worry in Steve's eyes as he tracks Sam's movements and walks over to the window where Steve is standing when Sam walks out of the room with Chin and Tony.)

"She's okay."

"She's three weeks away from her due date, Danny, she's just spent over a week being held prisoner by a madwoman who threatened her with taking our baby and sending her into the human slave market, and now she's having to deal with the threat that either Mark Andrews or Irina Kasavich is going to do something to hurt her, our baby, or me. She's far from okay!"

"Yeah, okay, I see your point, but this is Sam we're talking about here. Do you remember what I said the first time I saw her; when she walked into that restaurant, walked straight up to you, and then the two of you did some serious tongue-down-the-throat kissing right there in front of everybody?"

(Steve just glares at Danny having absolutely no idea where he's going with this.)

"Well, do you?"

"Yeah, you said, 'Figures a goddess walks into the room and the Boss already knows her.'"

"Very good, Steven, you remembered."

"What's your point, Danny?"

"My point is that, at the time, I was, um, talking about how 'hot' she was, but I've learned that she's one, tough lady. She's strong and smart, and, Hell, Steve, even her call sign, 'Athena', is that of a goddess and not a mere mortal. So, yeah, Sam's going to get through this just fine. Sure, things are a little rough right now, but she's not going to let Mark Andrews or Irina Kasavich or anyone else for that matter get the best of her and neither should you. Okay?"

"You know, for a Jersey boy, sometimes you actually make sense, _Danno_."

"Oohh! Here we go! You just can't let that go, can you, Pineapple Boy!"

"Nope. Like I said; it's catchy."

(Kono, having overheard the entire exchange, sends a smile and a "thumbs up" in Danny's direction as Steve, in a seemingly slightly better frame of mind, walks to the other side of the room where Mike is just ending a phone call. Danny joins Kono who is sitting in the chair Chin vacated when he left with Sam and Tony and sits down next to her as she monitors incoming communications for any updates on the whereabouts of Mark Andrews.)

"You did good, Danny. I think, because Sam is carrying the baby, we all forget sometimes that all of this has been just as hard on Steve as it has on her so, thank you for letting him know you care."

"He'd do for me; for any of us, Kono. I just wish we could get Andrews and Irina Kasavich out of the picture permanently and put an end to this."

"Yeah, me, too. I don't want the stress of all this to cause Sam to go into premature labor and that's a very real possibility. She and Steve should be enjoying things right now; thinking about nothing except the fact that in a couple of weeks they're going to be holding their baby in their arms. They shouldn't have to be afraid that someone's going to try to hurt them or take their baby away from them."

"That's _not_ going to happen, Kono. They've been through enough; it's time Sam and Steve had a little uninterrupted happiness in their lives, and we're going to see to it that they get it. Mark Andrews may be good, but he's not as good as we are and we're going to find him and put him either away or six feet under; period."

"Wow, remind me not to ever get of your bad side, Danny."

"Don't think you could, Kono. Mark Andrews, Irina Kasavich; they're a different story.

(Across the room, Steve is telling Mike what they found in Claudia Andrews' financial records concerning Rosa.)

"So Tony found the records of deposits Claudia has made into an account in Rosa's name for the past six years and there should be a little over two hundred thousand dollars there."

"At least that woman managed to do something right. You all right, Son?"

"I'm worried about Sam. She's been through so much and now this; all this stress can't be good for her or the baby, Mike. If anything happens to her or this baby, . . ."

(But Steve is incapable of completing his sentence because his throat is starting to close up with emotion and Mike, who has lost four babies of his own, has a good idea of what Steve is feeling. Placing a fatherly arm around Steve's shoulders, Mike does his best to be positive but he knows that Steve's fears are legitimate.)

"Listen to me, Steve. Nothing is going to happen to Sam or your baby; we won't let anyone hurt either of them. If that means that someone stays with Sam at all times until Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich are apprehended, then so be it; and we _will _get them, Son."


	107. Chapter 107

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 29, 2011**

**A/N: Sorry, everyone, but my fingers got ahead of my brain in the last chapter. Instead of Sam being thirty-three weeks pregnant, it should have read that she was **_**thirty-seven**_**weeks pregnant! Also, I have finally decided the gender of McBaby. Sam and Steve will be having a . . . Sorry, you're just going to have to continue reading to find out! (That was mean, wasn't it? Sorry!) Michelle**

(As soon as Sam, Chin and Tony get back with Mark Andrews' laptop, Chin and Tony boot it up and begin to go through it. The call finally comes from the State Department giving both the Coast Guard and the SEAL team permission to board the _Monarch_ and Mike, as the senior Officer present, orders the skipper of the Coast Guard cutter to seize the ship. The group in the conference room tensely watches through the live video feed from the cutter as assault teams board the yacht and search it thoroughly. They are also able to pick up the audio from those on board the yacht to the cutter. Moments later, the Lieutenant in charge of the SEAL team reports that they have discovered the bodies of two women and six men but there is no sign of Mark Andrews, no computers, files, or papers related to him, from what they can tell, the entire boat has been wiped down. It also appears that the eight people have been dead for at least twelve hours according to the medic on the SEAL team.

Just after they end the comm link with the Coast Guard cutter, Chin and Tony are finally able to hack through all the security measures on Mark Andrews' laptop and access his files. It wasn't too difficult as he foolishly opted to use the same encryption program his sister did and they had already hacked that. They find further documentation, in the form of emails exchanged between Claudia and Mark that provide evidence of the kidnap plot and their plans for both McBaby and Sam. There is also documentation that Mark is to take the _Monarch_ from Biloxi to the South Florida coast and await further instructions from Claudia. If they'd had this information when they first requested the laptop from Homeland Security, they might have been able to apprehend Mark Andrews _before _the eight people found on the yacht were killed, and that would have left only Irina Kasavich for them to worry about. Steve's gaze snaps from the computer monitor to Mike and there is no doubt in Mike's mind that his son-in-law is furious; even Mike experiences a moment of unease at the expression on Steve's face and he's extremely that they're on the same side. It is Sam, however, who rounds on her father with fury in her expression.)

"If Homeland Security had released Mark Andrews' laptop to us when we first requested it, Andrews would be in custody right now and eight people would not have lost their lives! I don't give a damn who Rear Admiral Larry Carr _thinks_ he is, who he's trying to impress, Hell, I don't even care that he's a Rear Admiral; as far as I'm concerned the man's an accessory to murder and he knowingly allowed a kidnapping suspect with known ties to a family of international arms dealers to escape! Not to mention the fact that the man is still out there somewhere and may very well be plotting a way to harm my baby, my husband, or me!"

"Sam, honey, I know you're upset, and you every right to be, but let me deal with Larry Carr, please. I'm going to call Adm. Taunton at the Pentagon and let him know what's happened. I'm sure that, once he learns what Larry Carr's refusal to cooperate has brought about, he'll be more than happy to go directly to SecNav."

"I hope so, Dad, because if anything happens to McBaby or Steve because Adm. Carr is holding a grudge against you, I won't rest until I see him thrown out of the Navy in disgrace and that will be too good for him!"

(Anger radiating off of her in waves, Sam strides out of the conference room and down the hall to Tony's office where she can have a few minutes of quiet in which to get her anger under control. Steve sending Mike a glare that leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that he more than agrees with Sam, follows his wife out the door.

Steve finds Sam standing at the window in Tony's office staring out at the lush greenery outside the building. Wordlessly, Steve walks up behind Sam and turns her into his arms. Once her head is lying on his shoulder, he gently rubs her back slowly and soothingly.)

"You know this is going to be okay, right?"

"No, Steve, I don't know that and neither do you. God, I wish I'd never agreed to be the currier on that op because that's what got us both involved with the Kasavich family in the first place, and, before you say that you might have never convinced me to marry you if it weren't for that op . . You're wrong. I would have married you if you'd asked me."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I said 'yes' the first time you asked me, didn't I?"

"You did."

"Okay, then."

"Sam."

"Yes, Steve?"

"This _is_ going to be okay. You and McBaby are the most important people in the world to me, and no one's going to hurt either of you. I won't let them. You dad thinks it would be a good idea for someone to be with you at all times until we get Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich out of the picture, and I agree with him."

"Okay."

"You're not going to argue about this?"

"Nope, I'm too close to delivering this baby, Steve, and I don't want to do anything that would hurt our child."

"Then don't worry about it, Beautiful. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I swear to you, Sam, I'll keep you and our baby safe; I won't let anyone hurt you, either of you."

"I know you won't, Sailor. I love you, Steve."

"Love you, too, Sam."


	108. Chapter 108

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 30, 2011**

(Having found absolutely nothing that would help them locate Mark Andrews on the _Monarch_, the group in Hawaii is frustrated beyond words. Danny sends out an update BOLO on Andrews which includes the fact that he is now wanted for the murder of eight people in addition to the other pending charges to all law enforcement agencies world-wide. Kono has been checking the phone records for Claudia Andrews, Mark Andrews, and Irina Kasavich on a regular basis, but nothing out of the ordinary has shown up there. Until they get another lead, there's really nothing they can do at the moment. It's getting late and they're all tired in addition to being frustrated, so Mike decides to call it a day. He also tells them that Libby called earlier and said she expected all of them at the Thrashers for dinner and that she was picking Grace up from Rachel and she would be there, too. At the mention of Grace's name, all the adults instantly get expressions of fear on their faces. They had decided not to tell Grace that Sam had been kidnapped because they didn't want to upset the little girl and had also decided that, since Sam was back home safe and sound, there was no need to tell her about the incident. However, Grace Williams is not a stupid child and she has every, single one of them wrapped around her little finger and they all know it, so their concern now is someone slipping up and letting the cat out of the bag, _and_ how are they going to explain Rosa? Tony is the first one to recover the ability to form a coherent thought and looks straight at Danny.)

"How are we going to tell Gracie? I mean, she's obviously going to meet Rosa and I, for one, am not going to lie to Gracie."

"None of us are going to lie to Grace, Tony, but you're right; we have to tell her something. What's it going to be, Danny?"

(Steve's question registers with Danny but he isn't quite sure how to respond because he truly doesn't want to upset his daughter. It is Caroline, however, who answers her brother-in-law's question in a calm, steady voice.)

"We're going to have to tell her the truth. I know Grace is still a little girl, but she's very mature for her age and it's not like she's never been exposed to things like this before. Besides, Sam's back home, she and the baby are both fine, and seeing that Sam's okay will go a long way in easing Grace's mind. That okay with you, Romeo?"

"Yeah, Gorgeous, it is. Thing is, who's going to tell her?"

"Maybe I should do it, Danny. I was the one who was abducted so I'm the best one to tell her, and I can make sure she understands that I wasn't treated too badly and explain how much Rosa helped while I was gone. You'll all be there to fill in the blanks if I miss something, and, as Caroline said, Gracie will be able to see for herself that the baby and I are both fine."

(An hour later, the Thrasher house is the center of activity as Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, Kono, Tony and Eric, Lana, and Chin all arrive within minutes of each other to find Libby and Rosa in the kitchen laughing and talking like they've known each other all their lives while cooking dinner, and Mike and Grace sitting at the bar that separates the kitchen from the den watching. As soon as the four younger couples walk into the house, Grace Williams is off her stool and standing with her feet slightly apart, her arms folded over her chest, and a frown on her little face that is eerily similar to one of her Uncle Steve's. The eight adults facing her immediately realize that either Libby or Mike has already filled Grace in on what's been happening and their expressions turn guilty as they also realize that the little girl is beyond mad with all of them. They look at one another helplessly for a moment trying to figure out what to say to the little girl, but Grace beats them to the punch.)

"I'm very upset with all of you. Aunt Sam and McBaby were taken by a very bad man and kept on an island for over a week and none of you _trusted_ me enough to tell me. I'm not a little kid anymore, you know. I know there are bad people in the world who do really bad things, and that bad man taking Aunt Sam was a really bad thing. You're excused, Aunt Sam, because you couldn't tell anybody where you and McBaby were, but Mom and Danno and Aunt Lana and Uncle Chin and Kono and Tony could have told me. And you, Uncle Steve, . . I'm very disappointed in you. I know you were real sad while Aunt Sam was gone 'cause you love her and McBaby, but _I_ love _you_, and I would have given you lots of hugs to make you feel better if you'd told me. No one should have to be sad by themselves when they have people who love them. I'm mad at Grandma and Grandpa, too, 'cause they didn't tell me, either, but Grandma said it was because you didn't want to upset me. Well, I am upset 'cause I thought we were all a family and family shares _everything_; the good stuff and the bad. So, if you don't tell me about anything but the good stuff, I can't really be a part of the family and that makes me sad."

(Grace's little speech has hit every, single person in the room squarely between the eyes and in their hearts just as she had intended, and no one moves a muscle for a moment. Finally, Steve, his eyes burning a little, kneels down on one knee in front of Grace and looks at her with a very contrite expression as he opens his arms wide.)

"You're absolutely right, Gracie, and I would like to apologize for not telling you about Aunt Sam. You are very much a part of this family and we all love you very much. That's why we didn't tell you, Sweetheart, because we know how much you love Aunt Sam and we didn't want you to worry about her, but that was a really stupid thing for us to think because you would worry about her anyway. I'm sorry. And I know your hugs would have made me feel a lot better, Gracie; they always do. You're also right in that you're not a little kid anymore; you're growing up right before our eyes and that's hard for all of us to understand sometimes. I promise you, Gracie, that I will never, ever keep anything from you again. Okay?"

(Grace looks at Steve for a full minute and he and all the other adults are holding their breath waiting for her to either forgive them or say something that's going to cut them to the core. Every word Steve said was true and they should have all known better, but they really did mean well even if their efforts backfired in their faces. Finally, Grace throws her little arms around her Uncle Steve's neck and he closes his around her and picks her up as he stands back up; relief flooding through him and the other adults in the room.)

"Okay, Uncle Steve, I forgive you, but please don't ever keep anything from me again. I love you all and I want us to share everything. Are you and McBaby really okay, Aunt Sam?"

"We are, Gracie, and I agree with Uncle Steve; we won't ever keep anything from you again."

"None of us will, Grace. Just try to remember, though, that it's kind of hard for us to remember that you're becoming a young lady; especially for Danno."

"I know, Mom, but Grandma says you and Aunt Sam will always be her little girls so I'll always be your little girl and Danno's, too."

(Danny, who has been fighting tears since Grace started to chastise them, gives up the battle at Grace's last words and, taking her from Steve, hugs his daughter very, very tightly as he reluctantly concedes that his little girl is, indeed, growing up.)


	109. Chapter 109

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 30, 2011**

(Once the drama of facing Gracie is over with, everyone truly begins to relax and make themselves at home. Steve asks his mother-in-law if he can steal Rosa away for a little while and, when she readily agrees, he, Sam, Kono, Tony, carrying a sleeping Eric, and Rosa step out onto the back deck. Rosa remembers both Kono and Tony from the island and smiles at the sleeping baby in Tony's arms.)

"How are you today, Rosa?"

"I am good, Senor Steve. Senora Libby has kept me laughing all day long. You are all very lucky to have her."

"Yes, we are, Rosa. You remember Tony and Kono Montgomery from the other day?"

"Indeed, I do. Thank you both for helping Senora Sam and me get off that island."

"You're very welcome, Rosa. Sam and Steve have told us that they've spoken with you about taking care of their baby once he or she gets here and that they also mentioned our son, Eric. My wife and I are looking for child care options because my in-laws like to travel a great deal and my parents don't live here. Do you think you might take care of our son as well as the McGarrett's baby?"

"Si, Senor Tony. Senora Libby has told me what a sweet child your little Eric is and I can see for myself that he is much loved."

"Well, then, if you're agreeable, we'd like for you to take care of him with my in-laws aren't available."

"It would be an honor. . . You all have done so much for me. It is only fair that I repay your kindness."

"Rosa, there's something else. We found records indicating Claudia Andrews had opened a bank account in your name at a bank in San Francisco and had been making monthly deposits into the account. We've verified the account's existence. Rosa, you have over two hundred thousand dollars in that account."

(For just a moment, Rosa looks at Steve as if he has gone mad and then she pales somewhat and begins to tremble slightly as his words sink into her brain. Alarmed, both Sam and Kono immediately move toward the older woman.)

"Rosa! Are you all right?"

"_Two hundred thousand dollars?_"

"Yes, Rosa."

"And you are sure the money belongs to me?"

"I am and it does. The money is your salary, Rosa, and we've checked with the IRS; all the taxes have been paid on it, so it's yours to do with as you will."

"_Two hundred thousand dollars._"

"Rosa, I know this has been something of a shock, but this is good news. The money is all yours, legally yours. In fact, as much as it would disappoint all of us, you don't have to work at all if you don't want to; with careful management of your funds, you could conceivably never have to work again."

"Oh, no, Senor Steve, I want to work! I would not know what to do with myself if I did not have something to do each day. . . I would very much like to take care of your children, but . . . I do not know what to do with all this money!"

"It's not something you have to decide on right away, Rosa. The money's been there for quite some time now, and it's not going to disappear."

"I think . . I think I would like to buy a house and maybe a car. Do you think I have enough money for that?"

"With plenty left over, and with what Sam and I and the Montgomerys will be paying you, you won't ever have to worry about money again, Rosa."

(This time it's Mike who's been looking out the window every so often and he's concerned when he sees Rosa pale and Sam and Kono hurry to her side. Danny, who's standing next to his father-in-law, places a restraining hand on Mike's arm when the older man moves to go out to the deck to see what's upset Rosa.)

"It's fine, Mike. I think they just told her about the account Claudia Andrews set up for her."

"Of course, Danny. That would be a shock for anyone."

"What account, dear?"

"Claudia Andrews had the decency to set up an account in Rosa's name at a bank in San Francisco and made monthly deposits to cover her wages. There's over two hundred thousand dollars in the account and, apparently, the Andrews woman filed income tax returns for Rosa and the taxes have already been paid. Rosa Garcia is an independently wealthy woman, Libby."

"And the children just threw that at her? No wonder the poor thing looks like she's about to faint! Whatever were they thinking?"

"They were probably thinking the woman might like to know that she's not destitute, Libby!"

"Of course she's not destitute! Even if she didn't have that money in the bank she wouldn't be destitute, Mike, because we wouldn't allow it! That sweet woman saved our daughter's life and that of our unborn grandchild; there's no amount of money on this Earth that could ever repay her for that! I swear, I sometimes think that you all get so caught up in this cloak and dagger stuff that you forget how to behave like civilized human beings! And you, Danny, how could you let them just throw something like that at her? That poor woman hasn't been off that island in _six years_, the only contact she's had with the outside world has been through silly, melodramatic television shows and even more silly movies, and she probably has absolutely no idea about how to deal with this! Honestly, I'm ashamed of both of you!"

(And before either Danny or Mike, who are both staring at Libby with mild shock, can say a word, Libby is out the door and marching toward the sitting area of the back deck to rescue poor Rosa from her inconsiderate children. Mike, recovering first, glares at Danny.)

"Now you've done it!"

"Me? I didn't do anything!"

"You didn't stop Steve from telling Rosa about that money!"

"Neither did you!"

(And then it hits both of them and they speak at the same time.)

"It's all Steve's fault!"

(Libby, her expression clearly concerned, sits down next to Rosa, slips an arm around the woman's shoulder and murmurs sympathetically before glaring daggers at the children.)

"Rosa, dear, are you all right?"

"Si, Senora Libby, I am fine. I am just surprised to learn that I have so much money in the bank."

"That's wonderful news, dear, but the children should not have just dropped it on you like that."

"Well, how would you have had us tell her, Mom?"

"I would have. . . Well, Samantha, I would have found a way that wouldn't have caused the poor woman to nearly faint!"

(And Libby escorts Rosa, who has regained her color and is much calmer, into the house leaving the four people on the deck to look at one another and shake their heads before heading back inside. Libby doesn't stay mad with her children for long and they all have a wonderful dinner and their conversation consists of speculation of whether or not Sam's pregnancy will be full-term, whether McBaby is a boy or a girl, and what they're going to name the baby. When that topic of conversation comes up, Sam and Steve look at each other with poignant expressions on their faces before they respond.)

"So what names have you two picked out or have you even talked about names?"

"Actually, Lana, we have. We want to use family names as a way to honor our parents. My mother's name was Ellen Emily, my father's was John. Sam's biological parents' names were Anne MacKenzie and Jonathan James, and there's Elizabeth Anne and Michael Evan."

(At the inclusion of their names in the list of possible names for the baby, both Libby and Mike get choked up and tears actually appear in Libby's eyes. Sam, a sweet smile on her face, slips out of her chair and walks around to stand between her adoptive parents placing a hand on each of their shoulders.)

"You guys didn't think we'd leave you out, did you?"

(And Caroline, who's also a little emotional, speaks up so that her parents will have a moment to recover.)

"So what specific names have you picked out?"

"It's a surprise."

"Sam!"

"It is, Caroline."

"McBaby, this is your Aunt Caroline. You need to hurry up and make your appearance because your mother is driving me crazy!"


	110. Chapter 110

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 30, 2011**

**A/N: Okay, after extensive research, I have been unable to locate a middle name for Steve's father, John but called 'Jack' by some people, and no name at all for his mother so I invented some. What can you do when all of the research sites just list her as "deceased"? Michelle**

(After everything's been cleaned up from dinner, Steve notices that Sam looks tired and, after telling everyone goodnight and promising Gracie that she can spend the night soon, they're out the door. When they get home, Sam heads straight upstairs to their bedroom while Steve makes sure everything's locked up downstairs and, although it only takes him a few minutes, he finds Sam fast asleep. She looks so vulnerable lying there with her face relaxed in sleep and her guard down, and a rush of fierce protectiveness flows through him. Shedding his clothes, Steve slips into bed beside Sam and pulls her unresisting body into his strong arms. Sam murmurs in her sleep and one of her hands grasps one of Steve's and pulls it around to rest on her baby bump. . .

Mark Andrews sits out on the deck of the yacht and looks up into the night sky as the boat cuts smoothly through the water on the way to its final destination. He has managed to prevent Irina Kasavich from tracking him by throwing the cellular phone she provided him overboard in the middle of the Pacific and he feels certain that she has no idea where he is at the moment. His contact in Oahu has informed him that Irina has men on the ground there although they seem to simply be enjoying a Hawaiian vacation and are not actively pursing either of the McGarrett. Andrews realizes that Irina is merely waiting for him to show up on the island. Once she knows he is there, she will instruct her men to kill him and then she will abduct Samantha McGarrett again. What Irina doesn't know is that he has more assets in place on the island than does she and, if she truly wants the McGarrett's baby; she will have to negotiate with him. He will be arriving off the coast of Hawaii within the next two days and he already has the groundwork laid to take the baby. If Irina does not cooperate with him, he will simply get rid of the child and take the mother for his own perverse pleasures before selling her to the highest bidder in the slave markets of the East. Of course, he will have made a powerful enemy in Irina Kasavich, but she is already planning to have him killed, so what difference does it really make. . .

The next day is Saturday and Steve awakens to find that they haven't moved so much as a millimeter during the night. McBaby is steadily moving about and he feels the baby's soft kicks against his palm which brings a smile to his face. Sam moves slightly but doesn't wake up and Steve leans over and kisses her baby bump before talking softly to their child.)

"Good morning, McBaby. Daddy's right here and I promise you that neither you nor your Mommy will be alone until we get the bad guys. If Daddy has to go after the bad guys, then someone else, probably Grandpa or Uncle Tony will be with you and Mommy. . . I love you so much and I swear to you that I will always take care of you; you and your Mommy."

(Steve's little conversation is interrupted by the ringing of his cellular phone, which also wakes Sam as he quickly grabs it from the bedside table.)

"McGarrett."

"Just got a call from the court-appointed public defender for Dimitri Kasavich. The injunction's been lifted and we can set up a teleconference with Kasavich now if you still want one."

"Damned straight, I do! We might be able to get something out of him that will help us find Andrews!"

"That's what I thought so I've set the teleconference up for 9:00 a.m. at the SEALs building on base. Figured that would be the best place to do it since Homeland's after this guy, too."

"Good call, Chin. I'll meet you there, and thank you."

"No problem, Brah."

(Steve replaces his cellular phone on his bedside table and turns back over to find Sam's emerald green eyes looking up at him with a determined gleam and he knows she heard every word he said. He also knows what the look in her eyes means.)

"Where and when are you meeting Chin and why?"

"At the base at 0900 hours. Teleconference call with Dimitri Kasavich."

"We'll have time for breakfast before we go."

"Sam."

"You're not leaving me by myself, remember? Besides, I want to see the look on Dimitri's face when he realizes that his little plan to destroy out family has fallen apart."

"I wasn't planning on leaving you by yourself, Sam. I was going to get Kono and Tony to come over here and hang out with you until I got back."

"No."

"No?"

"No. That bastard has put both of us through too much; he's taken too much pleasure out of playing with us. I want him to see the two of us together with the proof of our love right in front of him. I want him to know that he's going to spend the rest of his life in prison, alone and never again be able to see let alone touch his wife or any other woman, while we're free to be together, to make love to one another any time we like, to raise our child without fear."

"You want to hurt him."

"You're damned right, I do, Steve! The Kasavich family has already taken too much from us; I'm not going to allow them to take any more! Damn it, Steve, I don't want anything to spoil the birth of our child for either of us, and seeing me, so obviously in love with you and carrying your child, just might piss him off enough so that he'll say something he shouldn't. Like you told Chin, Dimitri might give us what we need to find Andrews and put him away. He might even give us what we need to take Irina down. . . Our baby is going to be born soon and I want him or her to come into this world, to come to _us_ in joy and happiness."


	111. Chapter 111

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 31, 2011**

(At 0830 hours, Sam and Steve, both of them in uniform more for effect than anything else, arrive at the SEALs' building and are met by Chin, Kono, Danny, Tony, Mike and Adm. Henderson. After reviewing any information that may have come in overnight and finding nothing new, they plan their strategy for the video teleconference with Dimitri Kasavich. It is decided that the only person who will appear on Dimitri's screen initially will be Steve and, depending on what Dimitri has to say, Sam will join him at some point during the interview. Sam, sitting at the conference table drinking a bottle of water while they wait, looks every inch the calm, collected, competent Naval Officer and both Steve and Mike have expressions of pure pride on their faces as they stand off to the side of the room. Sam's cellular phone rings and she smiles when she glances at the caller I.D. and sees she has a call from Beth Newton.)

"Hello, Beth."

"Hey, Sam. What are you up to this fine morning?"

"Believe it or not, I'm at the base this morning."

"Oh? You're not going to be there all day, are you?"

"Shouldn't be. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing really, I just wanted to see if you and Cmdr. McGarrett could drop by our house later this afternoon; we're having a sort of impromptu cook out and, knowing how close you are to having that baby, we thought you might appreciate not having to worry about dinner."

"Sounds like a plan. Let me talk to Steve and I'll call you back."

(Sam promptly throws Beth's invitation out to Steve as soon as she ends the call and he readily agrees. Neither of them sees the smiles on the faces of the other people in the room as they stand in the back near the computer where Tony is running the security protocols for the teleconference. Sam calls Beth back and tells her they'll be there and, after confirming a time, moves to a chair out of view of the camera as it's nearly time for them to talk to Dimitri Kasavich. Danny steps out of the room, hits the speed dial for his mother-in-law, and, when she answers, says only two words, "mission accomplished". Quickly wiping the smirk off his face, he returns to the conference room just as Dimitri Kasavich appears on the screen. The man is wearing a bright, orange jumpsuit with his federal prisoner I.D. number stamped on the left, front side and, although he has been in a maximum security prison for quite some time, he looks surprisingly smug. When Steve is the only person he sees on the screen, a sneer curls his thin lips.)

"You are going to be in a great deal of trouble when my attorney learns that you have somehow managed to contact me in spite of the restraining order, Cmdr. McGarrett."

"On the contrary, Dimitri, Mr. Leonard was more than happy to grant our request for an interview with you."

"Leonard? Who is this 'Leonard'? My attorney is Claudia Andrews, but you well know that. What game are you playing?"

"I'm not playing any game, Dimitri. Tell me, how well do you know Mark Andrews?"

"I know no Mark Andrews."

"That's funny . . . Considering he's your brother-in-law."

(Dimitri's demeanor immediately changes once Steve utters the words "brother-in-law" and his smug expression slips somewhat. The man now realizes that Steve McGarrett appears too nonchalant, too relaxed for a man who should be frantic with worry about his wife, and Kasavich finally realizes that something is very wrong.)

"I want to speak with my attorney. Now!"

"Mr. Leonard is in the room with you, is he not?"

"There's a man here, yes, but, as I said, Claudia Andrews is my attorney."

(And now Sam, a serene expression on her beautiful face, steps into view and stands next to Steve and Dimitri nearly swallows his tongue.)

"Was, Dimitri, was your attorney. Your wife is now in federal custody charged with numerous felonies, any one of which will bring her a life sentence."

"You! You should not be there! You should be. . ."

"Being held prisoner on an unchartered island? Are you really that stupid, Dimitri? Did you think that you and Claudia and her brother would get away with abducting me, stealing our baby and sending it to your aunt Irina, and selling me to human traffickers? Did you honestly believe Steve McGarrett was going to allow you, or anyone else for that matter, to take his wife and child away from him? . . . What? Nothing to say, Dimitri? . . . He has nothing to say, Steve."

"So I see, Sam. . . Should we tell him the rest of it?"

"Hmmm. He's looking a little pale, Steve. I don't want to be the cause of him having a stroke or something; then he wouldn't be able to continue enjoying the hospitality of the United States Government."

"There is that. . 'Course, we really should tell him. Wouldn't be polite not to."

"Yeah, guess you're right. You want to do it or do you want me to tell him?"

(Sam and Steve's conversation has been very casual, as if they're sitting on their back deck talking about what color to paint their house and Dimitri Kasavich is about to pop a blood vessel. Kono has to actually kick Danny to keep him from laughing out loud at the way Kasavich is reacting to Sam's and Steve's conversation, but she, too, is thoroughly enjoying the show. Unable to stop himself, Kasavich tries to come out of his chair but, because he is more or less chained to the chair which is bolted to the floor, he doesn't get very far. His face, however, is twisted in an ugly snarl.)

"Tell me what? What is this nonsense you are spouting off about?"

"We found files on Claudia's computer tying Irina Kasavich to the plot to kidnap my wife and child and we've turned this information over to the Russian authorities. Irina will soon be joining you, your brother, and your wife in prison where she, too, will spend the rest of her life."

"And once we have your brother-in-law, Mark Andrews, in custody, we'll have you all. You are a vile, twisted man, Dimitri, but you're not going destroy our lives."

(Dimitri has regained some control over his emotions and simply smiles into the camera.)

"We will see, Samantha, we will see. Now, I have nothing more to say to you and I will not answer any of your questions, so . . Goodbye."

(And Steve signals Tony to cut the transmission knowing they will not get anything else from Dimitri, at least, not at the moment. As soon as the screen goes blank, the calm expressions on Sam's and Steve's faces turn into frowns as they were both hoping they could get something from Dimitri that would help them find Mark Andrews.)

"Well, at least the two of you shocked the Hell out of him."

"Yeah, Danny, we did, and, maybe, he'll be more willing to talk once he's had a chance to think about things."

"I doubt it, Steve. His contact with the outside, with Irina, has been cut off now that Claudia's in custody. Dimitri will probably stew over it for a while, but I doubt he's going to give us anything useful."

"Let's wait and see, Sam. In the meantime, we need to find Mark Andrews."


	112. Chapter 112

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWELVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 31, 2011**

(A round-table discussion is held after the video teleconference with Dimitri Kasavich and everyone agrees that he knows something he's not sharing. Sam, however, seems to think that it would be a waste of time to try and talk with Dimitri again, and, since she knows the man better than anyone else, they take her at her word. The plan is to make sure the Coast Guard stationed around the islands is well aware that Mark Andrews may be attempting to gain access to Hawaii, specifically Oahu, by boat and that they should be on the lookout for any yachts or other luxury-type vessels that approach any ports or seem to be anchoring in open seas near the coast. After updating BOLOs with other law enforcement agencies world-wide and checking with State to determine if they've had any luck with the Russian authorities in regard to arresting or questioning Irina Kasavich and learning they have not, the group in the conference room has more or less exhausted all their possibilities for the moment. Since Sam and Steve skipped breakfast, they decide to grab an early lunch so they won't ruin their appetites for the cook out later and invite those present to join them. For once, it seems that everyone has something urgent they need to take care of, so Sam and Steve head home to change into civilian clothing before driving over to an open-air seafood restaurant on the beach not far from their house. Steve has noticed that Sam has had a small frown on her face since they left the base and he finally asks her about it when they're seated at a table on the restaurant's deck.)

"What's bothering you, Sam? Kasavich?"

"No, I don't know why, but I've got a feeling we're going to locate Mark Andrews and take care of both him and Irina Kasavich in the next few days. I'm wondering why everyone immediately had something urgent to take care of and couldn't have lunch with us?"

"Well, don't take it personally, Sam; they just had things to do. Besides, I kind of like the fact that we get to spend some time alone, just the two of us, for a little while."

"There is that. . . They just seemed to act awfully. . . suspicious."

(The home of Senior Chief Tim Newton and his wife Beth is a hive of activity as the SEALs, taking orders from their wives, are hanging blue, pink, yellow, and green baby decorations inside the house and around the Newton's patio and back yard, and the Senior Chief, Mike, and Adm. Henderson are getting a ton of steaks, chicken, and pork ready to grill. Libby and Louise Henderson are directing Danny, Chin, Tony, and one of the SEALs in where to put tables and chairs, and Rosa, holding little Eric Montgomery, and Gracie are sitting on the swing on the Newton's back patio watching the whole thing in wonder. Every, single one of the women is as good at snapping off orders as their husbands and the men are literally jumping to follow the ladies' directions. Caroline, Kono, and Lana are in the Newton's kitchen with Melanie Michaels and Trisha Sanchez and the five young women are putting the finishing touches on some of the side dishes to go along with the bar-be-cue. The centerpiece of the dessert table is a huge sheet cake with white icing and decorated in blue, pink, yellow, and green icing creations of baby booties, baby bibs, baby bottles, rattles, pacifiers, etc., courtesy of Rosa, and a table sitting on the back patio is loaded down with brightly wrapped baby gifts. Gov. Jameson and her husband arrive and she, too, pitches in to help get everything ready and volunteers her husband to do the same. Finally, they have everything ready and take a look around. Everything looks ready for the surprise baby shower for Sam and Steve and Libby gives Beth Newton a big hug.)

"Beth, dear, everything is perfect. You had a wonderful idea and I know that Sam and Steve are going to be so surprised when they get here. Throwing this baby shower was very thoughtful of you."

"The girls and I wanted to do it, Mrs. Thrasher. Sam was right there for us when our husbands deployed and, after everything she's been through, especially lately, we wanted to do something that might pick both of them up a little."

"Shhh! Here they come!"

(And, sure enough, Sam's black Porsche is pulling into the empty space that was deliberately left for them in the Newton's driveway. Steve hops out and walks around the front of the car to help Sam out and then they're walking toward the gate from the driveway into the back yard. The moment Steve pushes the gate open, the word, "Surprise!" is yelled loudly and, as they take in the colorful decorations, smiles appear on both the McGarrett's faces. Beth Newton and Casey Landry approach the couple and Casey pins a corsage made our of tiny blue, pink, yellow, and green baby booties with a pacifier clip in the design of an F/A-18 fighter jet to Sam's sleeveless, white eyelet maternity dress while Beth pins a pacifier clip, complete with a pacifier, in the shape of a baby seal to Steve's light blue polo shirt. Sam and Steve immediately recall their conversation of not too long ago when Sam asked Steve not to take their baby to watch the SEALs train as soon as McBaby could walk and he asked her not to take the baby up in a plane as soon as she was cleared to fly, and they both burst out laughing.)

"What's so funny?"

"You had to be there, Beth. Steve and I had this discussion a while back and, . . . I'll tell you later. I can't believe you guys pulled this off without us knowing about it!"

"The hardest part was making sure the guys kept their mouths shut! Are you two really surprised?"

"We are. Thank you, Beth, this is . . This is amazing!"

(Everyone has a chance to mix and mingle and talk about pleasant things and Sam and Steve both enjoy themselves tremendously. After they've eaten, Sam and Steve take turns opening baby gifts and they receive some beautiful outfits that work for boys, some for girls, and baby blankets and bibs that will work for either one. They also receive some beautiful sterling silver picture frames designed for babies as well as some in the same motif as their nursery. They also receive some of the more practical items associated with newborns. When they have opened the last baby gift, Caroline suggests the ladies head inside for a few minutes while the guys handle the clean-up before they cut the cake, but tells Steve he can come with the ladies. Once all the ladies and Steve are in the Newton's den, Caroline hands Sam a small box wrapped in pale gold paper with a darker gold ribbon and bow. Noticing the mischievous expression on her sister's face, Sam is a little unsure of whether or not she actually wants to open the present.)

"Do I want to open this right now?"

"Of course, you do, Sam. That's why I suggested we step inside for a few minutes."

"What's in here, Caroline?"

"Something for Steve."

"Well, then, shouldn't he be the one to open it?"

"Nope."

"C'mon, Sam, just open it."

"You know what's in here, Lana?"

"Yep."

"We all do, Sam, and I promise you it isn't that bad."

"Open it, Beautiful; even your mom said it wasn't that bad."

(Shooting her sister a mock frown, Sam begins to open the package and the giggles begin. Even Libby has an impish smile on her face and Sam stops as she is just about to lift the top off the box. She's pretty much figured out what's inside the box and, while she's not going to be bothered by the gift one bit, Steve might be a little embarrassed. Caroline nods slightly when Sam looks at her and they communicate as they have since they were twelve and a slow grin spreads across Sam's face. She lifts the top off the box, reaches down inside, and uses her index fingers to lift the item out of the box for all the ladies and her husband to see, glancing over at Steve as she does. Yep, she was right; Steve is blushing furiously although he's grinning from ear to ear. The item Sam is holding up is a scarlet lace teddy that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.)


	113. Chapter 113

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: October 31, 2011**

(Thoroughly enjoying Steve's reaction, Gov. Jameson can't help but throw out her opinion.)

"As Lt. Williams said, Commander, that gift's for you; something to 'pick you up' when those two a.m. feedings start to wear you down."

(And all the ladies, including Sam, burst into gales of laughter that only makes Steve blush that much harder; especially when Sam adds her two cents' worth.)

"Trust me, Governor, _that_ is so _not_ going to be a problem!"

(And the ladies' laughter only increases so Steve, his face still red, does what any good SEAL would do and beats a hasty retreat to the back yard with the rest of the men. When Sam is capable of breathing again, but still giggling, she wipes the tears of mirth from her eyes and looks toward the area where she saw Lana holding a camera.)

"Please tell me you took a ton of pictures of that!"

"Absolutely, and Melanie was videotaping the whole time!"

"Oh my God, Steve will have a stroke if he realizes that's on video!"

"Well, then, dear, we just won't tell him."

(And Libby's comment sends them all into gales of laughter yet again.)

"I haven't laughed this much in a long time! Thank you, all of you, for this; it's something Steve and I both needed."

"You're welcome, Sam. You were there when we needed you and we just wanted you both to know that you mean a great deal to us."

(Outside, the men are just about finished picking up the discarded wrapping paper, being careful to follow Lana's explicit instructions to save all the ribbons and bows and treat them like they were glass although none of them knows why, and have made sure all the used paper plates and utensils have been disposed of properly. Steve walks out onto the patio his face almost glowing in the dark and, of course, Danny picks up on it immediately.)

"What's up with the red face, Pineapple Boy?"

"Nothing I'm going to share with you, Jersey Breath."

" 'Jersey Breath'? _'Jersey Breath'?_"

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"Just what's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure out, moron."

"Are you implying that my home state _smells_ bad?"

"Hey, if the shoe fits . . ."

"Are you two sure you really want to get into an argument right now?"

"We're not arguing, Chin; Danny's just being his usual, obnoxious self."

(Petty Officer Joe Michaels, feeling extremely bold and daring, slides a sarcastic comment into the mix.)

"I think the boss is executing an E and E op."

"I think you're right, Petty Officer Michaels. Cmdr. McGarrett did rather deftly evade answering Det. Williams' question."

"That he did, Sir."

(Steve realizes that the situation is starting to go south fast; especially since Adm. Henderson is now jumping into the conversation. Hoping to head things off before the questions really get embarrassing, he decides to fess up.)

"All right! The ladies had another gift for us that they didn't want to give us in front of you guys."

"Yeah, what was it?"

"Just a little something for those two a.m. feedings, Danny."

"A little something for two a.m. feedings, Steven? Try again."

"It was, Danny, the Governor said so!"

"Then why couldn't they give it to you out here and why is your face so red?"

(But Libby saves Steve from any further questions as she sweeps out the back door and links her arm in his as she steers him toward the cake. Sam and the other ladies are right behind her and Danny's questions are temporarily halted. Steve, extremely grateful to Libby for "rescuing" him, gives her a quick squeeze as they make their way to the dessert table.)

"Thanks for the save, Libby."

"You're welcome, dear. Just make sure you and Sam make good use of that last gift; I expect a few more grandchildren from the two of you."

(And that sweetly delivered comment from his mother-in-law, causes Steve to do a double-take until he gives up and starts laughing when he looks up and catches the sparkle of amused laughter in his wife's beautiful eyes. . .

A couple of hours later, Sam and Steve pull into their driveway with Caroline and Danny right behind them. Sam heads to the front door to unlock it while Steve, Danny, and Caroline start unloading baby gifts from the cars. Sam's pretty tired after the long day and eases herself down on the sofa as soon as she gets inside the house. Steve and Danny head upstairs with the first load of baby gifts and Caroline plops down next to her sister on the sofa.)

"Hey, you okay?"

"Just a little tired. McBaby's gotten so big that I can hardly move sometimes; I haven't seen my feet in weeks!"

"They're fine, trust me. . Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever worry?"

"About?"

"Whether or not you're going to be a good mother."

"Sometimes, but I've loved this baby since the moment I realized I was pregnant. I guess you're always scared when you have children, Caroline; whether their newborns or, well, our age. Steve and I had dinner at Mom's and Dad's the night after I got home from that island and Mom told me that she had never been so frightened in her entire life. She said that as long as you live, you'll always worry about your children; no matter how big or old they get, and she's right. Having a baby changes your whole perspective on everything, but in a good way. I'm going to be the best mother I can to this baby and I have God and Mom to help me, and, when you and Danny have a baby; you're going to be a wonderful mother."

(Caroline's eyes dart up to meet Sam's in surprise; especially when Caroline sees the look of loving understanding in her sister's eyes.)

"How long have you known?"

"Awhile. We're sisters; I know you almost as well as I know myself, Caroline."

"I guess you do. . . I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too, and McBaby has a totally awesome aunt."


	114. Chapter 114

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 2, 2011**

(Steve and Danny make quick work of putting the gift boxes in the nursery and Steve wisely tells Danny to leave everything in the boxes and he will help Sam put everything where _she_ wants it later. After their second trip to the nursery, they have everything inside and the boxes are all stacked neatly on the changing table and chest of drawers.)

"Thanks for following us home and helping get this stuff inside, Danny."

"You are welcome, Steven. Now, are you going to tell me what the last gift the ladies gave you and Sam was or am I going to have to wrangle it out of my sister-in-law?"

"Sam's tired; ask your wife. I have a feeling it was her idea."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really."

"C'mon, Steve, it was something for the baby, it couldn't be that bad."

"Did I say it was bad?"

"It's not bad?"

"Nope, and it's not for the baby, either. It's for the baby's Daddy."

(And giving Danny a cocky grin, Steve "sails" out the door of the nursery and down the stairs leaving Danny to follow him with a confused expression on his face. When the two young men reach the bottom of the stairs they see their wives sitting side by side on the sofa talking and giggling softly in that special way that only sisters can, but Sam does look tired and Danny reaches for Caroline's hand and pulls her to her feet. After Steve hauls Sam up off the sofa, they walk Caroline and Danny to the front door and the two sisters hug each other as tightly as McBaby will allow. Steve nearly laughs out loud when he turns from locking the door and sees the expression of misery on Sam's face as she looks at the stairs. Sweeping her up and into his arms, he gives her a quick kiss before heading up the stairs.)

"Put me down, Steve! I'm perfectly capable of walking up the stairs by myself!"

"The look on your face says differently, Sam."

"Seriously, Steve, you're going to kill yourself; I must weigh a ton!"

"When Lt. Cmdr. Denning checked you over the other day, you had only gained twenty-three pounds; total, Sam. You do not weigh a ton."

"Well, I feel like I do!"

(And a great, big "uh oh" goes off in Steve's head because Sam is starting to get "weepy".)

"Sam, baby, I promise you that you do not weigh a ton."

"I'm huge, Steve! I look like a beached whale, I waddle when I walk, and I haven't seen my feet in weeks! How can you stand to look at me let alone carry me to our bedroom?"

"You're beautiful, Sam; more beautiful than I've ever seen you. All that stuff I've heard about pregnant women must be true because you're glowing, and you do not waddle when you walk; you're still as graceful as you ever were. You're beautiful because your carrying my baby; our baby. I could look at you all day long and never get tired of the view because you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and always will be and I love you with all my heart and always will."

"Damn. . . I love you, too, Steve."

(Steve has reached their bedroom and gently sits Sam on her feet so she can change out of her maternity dress and into a nightgown and he helps her do just that. Once she's brushed her teeth and brushed out her hair, Sam eases herself down to their bed and carefully turns on her side facing Steve's side of the bed. He joins her as soon as he's brushed his teeth and she snuggles as close to him as McBaby will allow.)

"Steve?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Mark Andrews is going to show up here sooner or later."

"Probably, but don't worry about Andrews; we've got BOLOs out on him world-wide and we'll know the second he sets foot on the island."

"I know that and I'm not worried about Andrews. . . I'm worried about Irina Kasavich. She's never been linked to any of the family's illegal activities and has a seemingly spotless reputation. I think the biggest threat to us is Irina."

"Yeah, Beautiful, I agree."

"Are the Russian authorities still refusing to intervene?"

"Don't know. They were sent copies of files we pulled off of the computers, but what they do with that information is anyone's guess. The Kasavich family pumps a huge amount of money into the Russian economy each year from their legitimate business ventures and that's why the authorities are so hesitant to question her."

"Surely they're not going to let her get away with being part of the plot to kidnap me and McBaby?"

"It's a whole different world over there, Sam. All we can do right now is give them the evidence we have so far and hope they'll do the right thing."

"I want this to be over, Steve!"

"I know, Sam; so do I."

Sitting on the upper deck of the yacht he's been on for the last several days sipping a glass of Scotch, Mark Andrews stares pensively out at the dark ocean. The yacht is anchored in international waters off the coast of Oahu and Andrews is waiting for his Honolulu contact to report back to him. It has been four days since he last had contact with Irina Kasavich, and he's positive that Irina's men on the island are just waiting for him to make an appearance. When the time is right, he will have Samantha McGarrett and her child and then they will both simply disappear. . .

Irina Kasavich stares at the face of the man who, at the moment, is causing her great irritation and curses under her breath as she flings Mark Andrews' picture into the trash can. She has no idea where he is but strongly suspects he is on his way to Honolulu, Hawaii. According to her assets who are staying at a luxurious resort there pretending to be Russian tourists, Andrews has not been seen, but Irina knows that he is near and her men have instructions to eliminate him as soon as he shows his face.


	115. Chapter 115

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 8, 2011**

**A/N: Hello, everyone! So sorry that I haven't updated in a few days. Life has, once again, invaded my pleasant, little bubble, and I've been just a tad busy recently. Hope to get back on track with regular posts for this story now. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate each and every one of you; your comments mean the world to me and my muse! Michelle**

(Steve is just starting to stir the next morning when the shrill ringing of his cellular phone brings him to full wakefulness and he quickly snatches it from his bedside table and keeping his voice low in an effort to keep from waking Sam.)

"McGarrett."

"Irina Kasavich has four men in Honolulu at the Ala Moana Hotel posing as Russian businessmen on vacation; they've been there for a few days. So far, the only things they've done have been to lie around the pool, visit the spa for massages, and hit on single women in the hotel bar every night."

"And that would be how you know there Irina's men?"

"Steve, if you lived in a country that had seriously cold weather most of the time and you came to Hawaii on vacation, would you stay at your hotel all the time or would you hit every beach, outdoor restaurant, and bar on the island?"

"I see your point."

"Besides, they were tagged as employees of the Kasavich family when they came through Customs; albeit they are all employed by the _legitimate_ end of the Kasavich family's business holdings."

"Who's sitting on them?"

"Undercover H.P.D. officers for the time being; they've done nothing wrong, yet."

"Yet is right. Okay, Chin, keep me updated."

"No problem."

(Steve places his cellular phone back on his bedside table and turns back toward Sam to find her awake and looking up at him with a questioning expression.)

"Morning, Beautiful."

"Morning. Where are Irina's men, Steve?"

"The Ala Moana. Chin's got undercover H.P.D. officers watching them."

"Okay. What's for breakfast?"

"That's is? Just 'okay'?"

"Yeah. What's for breakfast?"

"Sam, I just told you that Irina Kasavich has men staying at the Ala Moana and you want to talk about breakfast. Aren't you the least bit concerned?"

(Sam looks at Steve with a very calm expression on her face and her full lips curve into a small smile.)

"I want Irina Kasavich and Mark Andrews out of our lives, Steve; once and for all. Irina has men on the island. Great, wonderful, perfect! Means we don't have to go looking for them. Andrews will show up here eventually; probably in the next two or three days, and then we won't have to looking for him, either. We get them out of the picture, the Russian authorities get Irina out of the picture, and we're done. McBaby is born and we have the rest of our lives in which to raise our child in peace."

"Wow."

"What's for breakfast, Sailor?"

"Anything you want, Beautiful. Anything you want."

(The C.I.A. asset watching the Kasavich compound outside of St. Petersburg lowers the high-powered binoculars and takes a sip out of the Styrofoam coffee cup sitting next to him. Wincing at the cold temperature of the contents of the cup, the asset sighs heavily and wishes he was anywhere but where he is. Irina Kasavich hasn't left the compound in days and spends her time either in her bedroom or in her garden. This surveillance gig is nothing but a waste of time and he's more than a little irritated that he's been stuck here for days. Glancing at his watch, he realizes that he has only another thirty minutes before his relief arrives and he, once again, raises the binoculars. There she is, Irina Kasavich, bundled in a warm coat and scarf to ward off the early-evening chill, is walking in her garden yet again and then disappears back inside the house. . .

Mark Andrews' thin lips curve into a sneer as his Honolulu contact sits across from him in the large salon on the yacht and places pictures of Irina Kasavich's men on the coffee table between them. The man, also sneering, assures Andrews that these four can be quickly and easily taken out of the equation any time Andrews wants. Thanking the man for his offer, Andrews throws a healthy amount of cash on top of the pictures and tells his contact to wait for his phone call. Andrews also explains that he wants frequent updates on Samantha McGarrett and her child and that they will probably wait until after her baby is born before taking any action. Andrews watches as the man waves to him from the speedboat taking him back to Oahu and then heads below to the master cabin for some playtime with the young lady waiting there for him.

Irina Kasavich smiles as she leans back in the very comfortable leather chair and allows her mind to wander. She has just received word from her contact in Honolulu that Mark Andrews is, indeed, very near the island of Oahu and is aware of her four men at the Ala Moana. She has also been made aware that Andrews' plan is to wait until Samantha McGarrett delivers her baby and then abduct both mother and child. Irina is perfectly willing to allow Mrs. McGarrett to deliver her child. She's even willing to allow the McGarrett's a few days with their baby before she takes the mother and child; this way, Steve McGarrett will truly know what he has lost once they're gone. Yes, things are working out very nicely, indeed, and Irina is confident that her plan will go off without a hitch.


	116. Chapter 116

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 8, 2011**

(After breakfast, Sam and Steve decide to take the rest of the day for themselves and spend a wonderful Sunday walking on the beach near Diamondhead for a while before heading to their favorite beachside restaurant for a leisurely lunch. After that, they hit a couple of stores that specialize in baby things and pick up some outfits and toys for McBaby. When they're through, they drive back home and Steve grills them both huge steaks to perfection while Sam bakes some potatoes and throws together a salad. Since Sam hasn't been drinking wine during her pregnancy, Steve has started drinking pineapple juice right along with her and realizes that wine had absolutely nothing to do with the intoxicating effect he feels when he's with Sam; every bit of it comes from his wife. Pulling her into his arms when they get into bed that night, Steve is more at peace and content than he's been in a long time; in spite of the fact that Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich still pose a serious threat to his family. Over the years, he's learned that Sam's intuition is usually dead on the mark and she seems to think they're going to be rid of the Kasavich family and everyone associated with them very soon. That's good enough for him. The last rational thoughts he has before sleep claims him are, one, that very, very soon their baby will be born and he will be able to see and hold his son or daughter, and, two, not too long after that, he'll be able to make love to his sweet Sam again. It's not surprising that he has a smile on his face when he nods off. . .

When Steve kisses his wife goodbye in the driveway the following morning as she heads to the base and he heads to the Palace, his smile is bright and hers is beautiful. He actually has a bounce in his step when he walks into his office. . .

Monday mornings are usually busy at the base, but this morning is especially so as there are several pilots due to fly carrier qualifications and they are going to do that with the U.S.S. Coral Seas which is just off the southern coast of Oahu. Sam, having been unable to fly since learning she was pregnant, decides to spend the morning over at the primary maintenance hangar going over some reports and schedules with her plane Captain and the Chief Maintenance Officer for the base, Senior Chief Charlie Evans. The man's face lights up in a smile when he sees his boss walk into the hangar, if "walk" can be the term used to describe the way the extremely pregnant Cmdr. McGarrett is moving, and he immediately moves to greet her.)

"Good morning, Commander! How are you this fine morning?"

"I'm wonderful, Senior Chief. How are you?"

"Right as rain, Ma'am. In fact, I was going to come over to your office in a little while; I have a surprise for you." 

"Really? What?"

"Well, Ma'am, I just got a confirmation from Oceana on some new birds we'll be getting in a couple of months, and Adm. Henderson called me first thing and told me one of them is yours. Said you could pick the one you wanted."

"Get out of here."

"Not pulling your leg, Commander; that's what the Admiral said."

(The man can't help but smile at the instant sparkle in his commanding Officer's eyes. While everybody knows Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett loves her husband and that baby she's carrying more than anyone or anything else on the entire planet, a brand new aircraft runs a close third.)

"Come on in my office, Ma'am, and I'll show you the specs on the new birds."

"Lead on, Senior Chief. I'm right behind you."

(Senior Chief Evans walks into his office and takes just a moment to locate the information he's looking for before picking it up from his desk and turning around. Cmdr. McGarrett is no where in sight. Stepping to the door of his office, his heart jumps when he sees his C.O. bent over with one hand on her baby bump and the other on the wall for support. Dropping the papers in his hand, he rushes over to her.)

"Commander! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Ma'am? 'Cause you don't really look like you're fine. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Know how to deliver a baby, Senior Chief?"

"Deliver a ba. . . Ma'am! Are you in labor?"

"Think so, Senior Chief. I just had a major contraction, and. . . Oh!"

(Sam's face contorts as an intense spasm of pain hits her in the lower back and she can feel the tightening contraction of her abdomen with the hand resting on her baby bump. The contraction lasts for several seconds and, when it eases and she looks up, she nearly laughs out loud because Senior Chief Charlie Evans looks like he's about to faint!)

"Take a slow, deep breath, Senior Chief. DO NOT pass out on me and that's a direct order!"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am. Not going to pass out, Commander."

"Good. Now, I'm going to sit down on this stool right here while you go get your vehicle and bring it over here. Then, you're going to drive me over to the base hospital."

"Yes, Ma'am, be right back. Simmons! Get your six over here and stay with Cmdr. McGarrett until I get back! We're having a baby!"

(As soon as the young crewman reaches Sam, also looking like he's about to pass out, the Senior Chief is double-timing it to the parking lot. Sam, trying desperately to control the fit of giggles threatening to overtake her, pulls out her cellular phone and hits Steve's speed dial.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. Just wanted to let you know that I'm pretty damned sure I'm in labor. Senior Chief Evans is driving me over to the base hospital so get your six in the road, please."


	117. Chapter 117

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 8, 2011**

(Kono, Danny, and Chin are all standing in the hallway near Steve's office discussing something when they hear an extremely loud, almost screamed, "You're what?" come from Steve's office followed by a loud thud followed by an indignant and somewhat pain-filled "Ow!" Rushing into Steve's office, the three stop short and nearly laugh out loud at the sight of big, bad-assed Navy SEAL Steve McGarrett picking himself up off the floor and his chair turned over behind his desk. The only thing that stops them from exploding with laughter is the expression of pure, unadulterated fear on his bloodless face. Chin recovers first and takes a step in Steve's direction, which is actually a good thing because the big man's knees seem to have turned to pure jelly. Grabbing Steve's arm, Chin props him on the edge of his desk.)

"Whoa, brah, what's wrong?"

"Sam. . Sam's in. . . Sam's in labor. . . Have to . . . Get to the. . . hospital."

(Danny, who truly wants to laugh out loud so badly he can hardly stand it, opts for a more caring attitude; especially since it seems that, in addition to not being able to stand up by himself, Steve is also very short of breath.)

"Okay, buddy, let's go. We'll be there before you know it."

"Yeah, okay."

"You actually have to move, Steven, in order to get to the car."

(And there it is; one of Steve's famous fiercely dark scowls and a death glare in Danny's direction.)

"I'm aware of that, Danny!"

"Well, then, what's the problem?"

"Just . . Give me a second."

(Danny, a smirk forming on his face, shoots a look at a grinning Chin, but Kono smacks both of them on the back, eliciting a loudly growled "Hey!" from both men as she passes them on her way to Steve who is not going to be spared, either. Grabbing Steve firmly by the shoulders, Kono gets right in his face and looks him in the eye.)

"Steven J. McGarrett, pull yourself together this instant! Your baby is about to be born and you need to be there when that happens! Now, get on your feet, Mister, and march yourself out to the parking lot! You two make sure he gets in the car and then you, Danny, drive him to the base. Chin and I will be right behind you."

(All three men, having been given their marching orders waste no time in getting to the elevators while Kono grabs her purse and is right behind them. Steve, having recovered himself somewhat, pulls out his cellular phone and hits the speed dial for Sam while glancing back at Kono.)

"Kono, please call Tony and ask him to meet Sam at the hospital and stay with her until I get there. Chin, please call Libby and Mike and let them know we're having a baby. I'm going to be talking with Sam as long as I can until we get there."

(Senior Chief Evans and the young, and petrified, crewman have helped Sam into the Senior Chief's truck and they are proceeding to the base hospital. After hanging up with Steve, Sam immediately called the hospital to let them know she was coming and then Adm. Henderson. She has just ended that call when Steve's number pops up on her caller I.D. Another hard contraction hits her about that time, though, and she tosses her phone in the general direction of Senior Chief Evans who _now_ looks like he's going to throw up.)

"Hello?"

"Who is this? Where's Sam?"

"That you, Cmdr. McGarrett?"

"Senior Chief Evans?"

"It's me, Sir. Cmdr. McGarrett, that is, the other Cmdr. McGarrett is . Your wife, Sir, is having another contraction at the moment."

"Already? Aren't they too close together? I mean, doesn't this usually take a long time, Senior Chief?"

"You're asking me, Sir?"

"Where are you, Senior Chief?"

"About five minutes from the hospital, Sir. They're expecting us."

"Good, that's . . . Good. Okay, I'm on my way. Should be there in ten or less."

(The contraction has eased and Sam snatches her phone from the slightly numb fingers of her plane Captain.)

"Ten minutes or less from the Palace, Steve? For God's sake, please don't have a wreck! Oh my God, you're not driving, are you?"

"No, Sam, Danny's driving, but we're running lights and siren. I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you, Sam! I'll be right there, Sweetheart, I promise!"

"I know you will be, Steve. I love you, too! Oh, God, I need to call Mom and Dad!"

"No, you don't, Baby. Chin's calling them and Kono called Tony. He should be at the hospital by the time you get there and he's going to stay with you until I get there."

" 'Kay. Just be careful, Sailor!"

(Sure enough, when Senior Chief Evans whips into the Emergency Room entrance, Tony is standing in Alpha-mode stance at the sliding doors along with Lt. Cmdr. Denning and a nurse with a wheelchair. In mere seconds, Tony has lifted Sam out of Senior Chief Evans' truck and gently placed her in the wheelchair. Another contraction hits her just as Tony slides his arms from beneath her knees and she grabs his hand and squeezes hard. The SEAL just smiles and murmurs reassuringly to her as they make their way through the Emergency Department to the elevators; although he's damned glad he's on the same side as Sam; her grip is nearly crushing his hand. . . .

Less than five minutes later, Steve is out the door of the Camaro before Danny can stop completely and racing to the elevators himself. Over his initial reaction, Steve is now all business and a man on a mission. One point two seconds after pushing the "up" button on the elevator, Steve yanks the door to the stairwell open and is taking the stairs three at a time on his way up to the Ob/GYN floor.)


	118. Chapter 118

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 8, 2011**

(When Steve bursts through the door from the stairwell onto the OB/GYN floor of the base hospital, his gaze darts first left and then right as he searches for the Nurses' Station. Zeroing in on his objective, he strides purposefully toward the counter where a nurse in pink scrubs is just hanging up the phone.)

"Excuse me. I'm Cmdr. Steve McGarrett. My wife, Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett, was brought up here a few minutes ago in labor. Where is she?"

"She's in LDR 4, Commander. Around the corner, down the hall, second door on your left."

"Thank you."

(Steve rounds the corner and sees Tony, a smile on his handsome face, standing in the hall outside the door to LDR 4 shaking his hand slightly. When Tony looks up and sees Steve coming toward him, his grin widens.)

"Sitrep, Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery."

"She's definitely in labor, Boss. Lt. Cmdr. Denning is checking her over now."

"Thanks, Tony, I really appreciate you being here with Sam until I could get here."

"No problem."

"What's wrong with your hand?"

"Your wife has one Hell of a grip."

(A nurse sticks her head out the door to tell Tony he can come back into the room, but Tony tells Steve he's going to the waiting room and Steve steps into the LDR. Sam is already in bed with a hospital gown on and a fetal heart monitor attached while Lt. Cmdr. Denning looks at the scope monitoring the baby's heartbeat. When she sees Steve, a beautiful smile breaks out on Sam's face and he feels a rush of intense love for his wife. Moving quickly to the opposite side of her bed from Lt. Cmdr. Denning, Steve takes her hand in his as he leans over and gives her a sweet kiss.)

"Hey, beautiful. How are you?"

"I'm good, Sailor, although, after talking with Lt. Cmdr. Denning, I've been in labor a lot longer that I thought. Apparently, what I thought were the usual twinges and aches that went with being so late in the pregnancy were actually the first signs of labor."

"And after your wife and I discussed things, Cmdr. McGarrett, I'd say that the Commander's been in labor for several hours. I've examined her and she's already dilated to nearly six centimeters, so your baby should be arriving in just a few more hours. Don't worry; both your wife and the baby are just fine and things are proceeding nicely. Now, I've got two more patients in labor, so I'm going to check on them and then I'll be back. I've already asked the nurse to call anesthesia and someone should be up shortly to start your epidural, Commander."

"Thank you, Lt. Cmdr. Denning. Now that Steve's here, I'm good; no, I'm great."

(Once the doctor leaves the room, Sam and Steve are alone with the muted sound of their baby's heartbeat in the background. Steve is now in full and complete control of himself, and he is much calmer than he would have thought possible given that their baby is about to be born.)

"I love you, Sam."

"Love you, too, Steve."

"I know there are babies born every day, but. . . I am so incredibly humbled by all this. You and I created this tiny, new life, Sam. We've created this precious baby, this miracle, and we're about to meet our son or daughter for the first time. I'm having a hard time finding the words to tell you what you and our child mean to me, Sam."

"You just did, Steve."

(And he leans down and kisses his wife slowly and sweetly and his hand is trembling slightly when he lifts his head and gently touches Sam's face. Realizing that Steve is nearly overcome with emotion, Sam smiles softly as she reaches up, takes his hand in hers, and softly kisses his palm. Their eyes meet and their gazes lock for a moment before another hard contraction hits Sam and she gasps as her face screws up in a small frown and she grabs Steve's hand and squeezes really hard. Steve instantly starts speaking soothingly to Sam and gently rubs slow circles on her back as the contraction peaks and then ebbs. When the contraction has eased, Steve looks into Sam's beautiful eyes and, for the first time in a long, long time, sees fear there as well as tears welling in the emerald green depths. Her voice is small and frightened when she speaks, and he quickly moves to sit on the side of her bed and gathers her into his arms.)

"I don't know if I can do this, Steve."

"Yes, you can, Sam. You've never run from anything in your life and you're not about to start now. I'm right here with you, Sweetheart, and I'm not going anywhere."

"That was a hard one; longer, too, and, damn it, that _hurt_, Steve!"

"I know it did, Baby. They'll be here to give you your epidural in a few minutes, and, until they get here, we'll work through this together. 'Kay?"

" 'Kay."

(Out in the waiting room, Kono, Tony, Danny, and Chin are either sitting, leaning against the wall, or pacing in the waiting room designated for the families of those ladies in active labor. Kono is calmly sitting in one of the surprisingly comfortable chairs and is actually reading an article in a magazine she picked up when she first sat down. Tony and Chin are leaning against one wall and having a quiet conversation and Danny is pacing from the door to the waiting room to the area where Kono is sitting and back. Libby and Mike arrive at the desk several minutes later and are directed to Sam's room. Neither of them is at all surprised to find Sam in Steve's arms and him gently rubbing her back and murmuring soft words of comfort and support to her nor are they surprised that neither their daughter nor son-in-law hears them enter the room. Exchanging knowing smiles, Sam's parents move quietly into the room and around to the opposite side of her bed from Steve. Libby is the one to finally break the quiet.)

"Well, dear, you certainly aren't wasting any time delivering this baby, are you?"

"Hey, Mom. Well, I didn't realize I was, and had been, in labor until the contractions got fairly intense. Lt. Cmdr. Denning says it's only going to be a few more hours now."

"Are you all right, Sam?"

"I'm fine, Mom. I'll be even better when I get my epidu. . . Ow!"

(And Libby starts to take a step toward Sam as another hard contraction hits her, but Mike gently puts a restraining hand on his wife's arm as Steve immediately starts talking softly to Sam and talks her through the contraction. Just as it subsides, the people from Anesthesia arrive and Mike and Libby join the others in the waiting room.)


	119. Chapter 119

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 9, 2011**

(Libby is somewhat surprised to find that Caroline is not in the waiting room when they walk in and immediately turns to Danny.)

"Danny, where's Caroline?"

(And just like that, Danny Williams looks like he's been hit by a bolt of lightning! Mike realizes at once that Danny forgot to call his wife and let her know her sister's in labor and starts to pull out his cellular phone with an amused expression on his handsome face. Danny, however, recovers almost immediately, and has his phone out and hits a speed dial before Mike can. When Caroline answers, Danny uses his sweetest voice to explain that Sam's in labor and they're all at the hospital. When he finishes speaking, he listens for a few moments before wincing and then very slowly replacing his cellular phone in his pocket. Amused stares greet him when he opens his eyes and Chin asks the question they're all dying to know the answer to.)

"Well? How mad is she?"

"Do the words, 'You're a dead man?', mean anything to you?"

"I cannot _believe_ you forgot to call her, Danny!"

"In case you've forgotten, Kono, Steve was a total and complete mess for a few minutes there after Sam called him. And then, we were on the way out here, and then. . ."

"Never mind, Son; Caroline won't stay mad long; especially once that sweet baby is born. . . And, we do have an extra bedroom at our house if you need one."

"That's funny, Mike. Really, really funny."

"Um, Son, don't forget to let Grace know Sam's having the baby. You don't want two women mad with you,"

"Yeah. I'll call Rachel right now."

(A few minutes later, Caroline rushes into the waiting room spitting in anger and her eyes lock onto her husband. Libby steps in front of her irate daughter before Caroline can tear into Danny and redirects Caroline toward the window.)

"Now, Caroline, don't be angry with Danny. From what Kono's been telling me, they all had their hands full with Steve when Sam first called and told him she was in labor. Besides, the baby's not here yet. In fact, Sam's just now getting her epidural."

"Fine, Mom, I won't kill him right now; I'll wait until after we've had a chance to visit with our niece or nephew!"

(Just as the anesthesiologist is about to start Sam's epidural, a frantic nurse bursts into the room and sends an apologetic glance in Sam's direction.)

"I'm terribly sorry, Cmdr. McGarrett, but we have an emergency! Cmdr. Taylor, you're needed in Delivery Room 2 for an emergency C-Section!"

"On my way, Lieutenant. Please call Anesthesia and have them get someone else up here to start Cmdr. McGarrett's epidural; and tell them I said that's a STAT order. If Cmdr. McGarrett doesn't get her epidural in the next ten or fifteen minutes, it will be too late. . . . Sorry, Commander."

(And both the Lieutenant and the Commander are out the door before either Sam or Steve can blink. Steve just smiles at Sam and reassures her that someone will be up in a few minutes. Sam, however, has a really bad feeling about her chances of getting her epidural, and starts mentally gearing up for the possibility of going through the rest of her labor and the actual delivery without one. As it turns out, that's a very good thing because not another soul walks into Sam's room for thirty solid minutes. By this point in time, Sam's contractions are stronger, much closer together, and longer in duration and, although she is exerting a mighty effort to keep from screaming when the pain rolls over her, Steve realizes that she's close to losing it. He watches helplessly, yet again, as another contraction wracks her body and tears leak from her eyes which are squeezed tightly closed and her hand is squeezing his so hard he's positive it's going to be bruised by the time McBaby arrives. Lt. Cmdr. Denning, a nurse, and Cmdr. Taylor rush into the room and Denning checks Sam, but she is dilated past the point of no return and it's too late to start her epidural. The contractions are too close together and too strong to allow Cmdr. Taylor the time necessary to properly place the catheter in her spine without causing any permanent damage. Looking at Sam apologetically once the latest contraction has ebbed, Lt. Cmdr. Denning breaks the news to her.)

"I'm sorry, Cmdr. McGarrett, but we can no longer safely start your epidural. We can, however, give you some I.V. Demerol to help with the pain."

"Won't anything you give me intravenously get into the baby's bloodstream?"

"Yes, Commander, it will."

"Then I don't want anything."

"Are you sure, Sam?"

"I'm sure. . Oh, God!"

(And another strong contraction hits Sam and Lt. Cmdr. Denning instructs her to push. Steve, beyond scared at seeing Sam go through the intense pain that's wracking her body yet proud of the fact that she refuses to do anything that could possibly harm their baby, slides an arm around Sam and helps her sit up a little as she pushes. Tears of pain are freely streaming down Sam's face, but she is following the doctor's instructions to the letter. When the contraction eases and she slumps back on the pillows, Steve realizes that he can give Sam a little help with her pain management. Whispering softly to her to get her attention, his eyes lock with hers and he starts helping her focus and center herself. Although the nurse and Lt. Cmdr. Denning look a little confused, Sam knows exactly what Steve's doing and she smiles her thanks. When the next contraction hits and the doctor tells Sam to push, Steve supports her as she pushes but her eyes never leave his and Lt. Cmdr. Denning is totally and completely amazed. Not only is Sam following his instructions to the letter, but she doesn't appear to be in as much pain as she was a few minutes ago.)


	120. Chapter 120

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 9, 2011**

(Libby has become concerned because it's been quite some time since they were shooed out of Sam's room so they could start her epidural and the nurse hasn't come back to get them yet. Stepping to the door of the waiting room, she spies a nurse in the hallway and asks her what's going on.)

"Excuse me, Lieutenant. Is it just me or is it taking an inordinate amount of time for them to start Cmdr. McGarrett's epidural?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ma'am. Cmdr. Taylor was called away to an emergency C-Section before he was able to take care of Cmdr. McGarrett. Unfortunately, by the time he was able to get back to her, her labor had progressed past the point where he could safely do the epidural."

"Young lady, are you telling me that my daughter is enduring the labor and delivery of her first baby _without_ an epidural?"

"Um, yes, Ma'am."

"Well, have they given her anything for the pain?"

"Cmdr. McGarrett refused anything, Ma'am."

"She _refused_ pain medication?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Said she didn't want anything that could affect the baby in an adverse way. I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I have to check on another patient."

(The young Lieutenant hurries off leaving Libby to turn and send her husband an extremely worried look. Everyone in the waiting room overheard the conversation and Libby and Kono, having both been through labor up until the point they got epidurals and knowing how painful that labor was, both have horrified expressions on their faces as they try to imagine how truly bad the last stages of labor and delivery must be. Throwing a worried look over her shoulder, Libby starts down the hallway toward Sam's room, but stops when, about halfway there, she sees a nurse stick her head out the door and tell another nurse baby McGarrett is going to be born any minute. Libby is extremely worried about both her daughter and grandchild, but realizes that, if Sam's this close to delivering and is probably pushing and concentrating on delivering her baby, Steve and the doctor and nurses are really the only people who need to be in the room with her right now. Closing her eyes for a moment to regain her equilibrium, Libby smiles when she feels Mike's hands close over her shoulders as he pulls her back against his chest.)

"She'll be fine, Libby, and so will our grandchild. Lt. Cmdr. Denning's an excellent doctor and Steve's with her."

"I know that, Mike, but . . . "

"Libby. Come back to the waiting room, Sweetheart. Our other daughter's a little worried about her sister, too, right now and you can do her more good than you can Sam at the moment."

(Walking back into the waiting room, Libby sees that Mike is quite correct. For all her blustering a few minutes ago, Caroline now looks a little pale and a worried expression is on her face. Walking over to the sofa where Caroline is sitting next to Danny, Libby pulls her daughter into a hug and tries to reassure her that Sam and the baby will both be fine. . .

Lt. Cmdr. Denning is in complete awe of what he is witnessing between Commanders Samantha and Steve McGarrett. Never, in all the time he's been delivering babies, has he seen two people so attuned to one another as are Sam and Steve, and, whatever it is he's whispering to her is keeping her focused on delivering their child and off the pain. Making a mental note to ask them about this later, Lt. Cmdr. Denning tells them their baby is about to be born, but Sam's eyes never leave Steve's.)

"All right, Commander, I want you to push with everything you've got with the next contraction. Ready? . . . Push!"

"Come on, Sweetheart, you can do this. Push, Sam, push hard!"

"We. . . _We_ can do . . this, Steve."

"Yes, we can, Sam. Push, Beautiful."

"Okay, Commander, relax for a moment and take some deep breaths. I believe McBaby will be here with the next contraction. You're doing beautifully, Commander. . . All right, here we go. Push!"

(Sam pushes as hard as she can, gripping Steve's hand tightly and, suddenly, the tiny baby slides from its mother and the sound of a healthy cry fills the air. Steve shifts so that he is sitting on Sam's bed behind her and holds her tightly as the doctor makes sure their child is all right. Once Lt. Cmdr. Denning has made sure the baby's nose and mouth are clear and the baby is breathing on its own with no problems, he places the tiny, wiggling infant on a blanket on Sam's tummy and grins as he holds out a pair of surgical scissors to Steve. Sam, now propped up by a couple of pillows thoughtfully supplied by one of the nurses, watches with happy tears as Steve deftly cuts the umbilical cord and the doctor wraps the baby in the blanket and hands it to its father. Steve brings the baby up to Sam and lays it in her arms and they are both crying and smiling and laughing as they look in wonder on their child.)

"McBaby's beautiful, Sam. I love you, Sweetheart, so much. Thank God you and McBaby are both all right."

"I love you, Steve, and I'm more than all right. I've never been so happy or so humbled."

(McBaby's cries stopped almost the moment the doctor placed the infant in its father's arms and now Sam is holding their baby in her arms. The tiny, child is stretching and moving its little arms slightly and quickly begins rooting around. Sam, having met with a lactation nurse several times, knows exactly what her child wants and quickly bares her breast so her child can nurse. The baby latches onto her nipple quickly and Sam gasps and then laughs softly at the sudden, sharp sensation. A smart remark about McBaby having its father's appetite forms in Sam's brain, but it dies before reaching her lips when she looks up at Steve. Unshed tears glisten in his eyes and his expression is one of wonder as he watches their child nurse.)

"That is the sweetest, most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Sam. Thank you, Sweetheart, for our beautiful baby."

(The group in the waiting room is getting antsy. It has been nearly half an hour since the second nurse went into Sam's room and Libby's worried. A few minutes later, however, Lt. Cmdr. Denning, a grin on his face, sticks his head in the waiting room and lets them know that Sam, Steve, and McBaby are ready to see the rest of their family. In mere moments, Libby, Mike, Caroline, Danny, Kono, Tony, and Chin all enter Sam's room to see Sam sitting up in bed holding a blanket wrapped bundle and Steve sitting on the bed beside her with the baby's tiny hand wrapped around his finger. Both parents look up and smile when their family comes quietly into the room and Steve, his face and voice full of pride, introduces them to McBaby.)

"Sam and I would like you to meet our daughter, Emily Anne McGarrett."


	121. Chapter 121

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 10, 2011**

(Smiles break out on everyone's faces although Libby has tears shimmering in her eyes, as Sam gently folds back the blanket and little Emily Anne McGarrett appears. The little girl has a head full of dark, silky hair the color of her father's and her little face, even this young, reflects features of both her parents. She is truly a beautiful baby and Sam is absolutely radiant even after having endured a long, hard labor and delivery without any pain medications. Steve is grinning from ear to ear and his every glance in the direction of his wife and daughter is filled with love and pride, but he also gets misty-eyed every minute or so. .

Sam lifts little Emily up and Steve takes her tiny body into his arms before walking straight to his mother-in-law and gently laying the baby in her arms as he gives Libby a kiss on the cheek. Libby looks from her granddaughter to her daughter to her son-in-law and then back at the baby again and let's the happy tears slide down her face.)

"She's beautiful, and her name is absolutely perfect. I know both your mothers would be so proud."

"We named her after you, too, Mom."

(Libby's tears fall that much harder at Sam's softly and lovingly spoken words and she walks over to the bed, leans down and kisses Sam's cheek.)

"Thank you, Sam; you, too, Steve. That's the sweetest compliment anyone could ever give me."

(Mike, tears in his eyes, too, sucks it up and slaps Steve on the back.)

"Give me that baby before you get her all wet, Libby. Don't want my firstborn grandchild looking like a prune! . . . Come to Grandpa, you precious little thing. We'll get acquainted while your grandmother pulls herself together."

(And little Emily Anne McGarrett visits with her grandfather before her Aunt Caroline gets her hands on the baby, and then it's Uncle Danny's turn. Of course, the baby is passed to every adult in the room, but she's taking it all in stride and peers curiously up at every person who holds her. After handing the baby off to Tony, Danny turns toward Sam and Steve with a huge smirk on his face. Walking over to the other side of Sam's bed, he looks like the cat that got the lion's share of the cream.)

"I'm thrilled for you both; she's absolutely beautiful, Sam. Glad she takes after her mother."

"Very funny, _Danno_, Emily looks like me, too, you know."

"Whatever. I'm just excited that _now_ you're going to know how it feels when _your_ daughter wants to talk about boys, and kissing, and sugar, Pineapple Boy."

(And there it is . . . A dark, intense frown settles on Steve's handsome face while Danny just smirks and Sam looks from her husband to her brother-in-law and giggles. Caroline rolls her eyes as she punches her husband on the shoulder.)

"You two are so _not_ going to start arguing in Sam's hospital room! We have a new member of the family to celebrate and neither of you is going to say another cross word! Understand?"

(Both Steve and Danny behave for the remainder of the family's visit and little Emily finally makes her way back to her father's arms. Kono, who brought her camera with her, has been taking pictures since coming into the room but, when Steve takes his tiny daughter back from Chin, Kono sees the perfect picture opportunity. The expression on Steve's face is a mixture of pure, sweet love and total bliss, and Kono captures the moment just before, during, and just after Steve gently kisses his daughter's forehead. Libby is caught up in the joy and wonder of the moment, so it is Caroline who spies Sam hiding a yawn behind her hand and shoos everyone out of the room so Sam and Steve can be alone with little Emily and Sam can get some rest. With hugs and kisses and promises to come back later, everyone heads out and Steve gently places the baby in Sam's arms before sitting on the side of her bed and giving her a sweet, soft kiss.)

"I didn't think I would ever be this happy, Sam. I never realized how much one, tiny little baby could fill my heart with such joy."

"Me, too. She _is_ beautiful, and, so far, she's a really good baby. She didn't cry once when she was being passed around from one person to the other."

"No, she didn't. Dare we hope that means she's going to behave once we get her home?"

"Of course she will, Steve, but you do know that she's going to get hungry a lot more often that you or I do, right?"

"Well, yeah, I get that, Sam."

"And she'll be needing her diaper changed frequently, too, Steve."

"Yeah, I get that, too, Sam."

"Just making sure, Sailor."

"God, Sam, look at her! I can't believe she's actually here. You know, she's just like you."

"Yeah? How's that?"

" 'Cause I fell in love with Emily the instant I saw her just like I did with you."

"I love you so much, Steve. Emily and I are very lucky we have you."

"You're wrong, Sam. I'm the one who's lucky. . . I wasn't really. . Happy until I found you. You've shown me what it means to be a part of family. I thank God every, single day that He brought the two of us together."

"And now He's given us one of his little angels; he's given us Emily."

"And we'll love and protect her from now on. I love you, Steve."

"I love you, too, Sam. And, Emily, Daddy loves you, baby."


	122. Chapter 122

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: November 19, 2011**

**A/N: Hello, everyone! So sorry that I haven't updated before now but I've had family in from out of town for an extended visit and I've been cooking up a storm! Thank you all so very, very much for the wonderful reviews! It absolutely makes my day when I log on and find new reviews waiting for me to read, and I promise you I will do my best to continue writing in such a manner that you are all entertained and enjoy my stories. Thank you all so much! Michelle**

(When Libby and Mike return to the hospital later that night and walk into Sam's room, smiles break out of both their faces. Sam is sleeping peacefully while Steve, holding his tiny daughter in his arms with one of her tiny, little hands wrapped around one of his fingers, is talking softly to the baby with a little smile on his handsome face. A huge arrangement of red roses with baby's breath and greenery sits on the table beside Sam's bed and a smaller arrangement of pink roses sits beside it. There is no doubt in either Libby's or Mike's minds that the roses are from Steve; the red ones for Sam and the pink ones for Emily, and they take just a moment to take in the blissful scene before them before they make their presence known. Steve, however, is a SEAL through and through and was immediately aware of their presence the second they stepped into the room. Looking up and over his shoulder, he gives his in-laws a big smile and quietly and carefully eases up and off the chair in which he'd been sitting right next to Sam's bed and walks quietly toward them. Libby is holding out her arms for her granddaughter before Steve reaches them and he carefully lays little Emily in her grandmother's waiting arms as they speak in hushed voices to prevent waking Sam.)

"She's asleep, Steve! I thought she was awake since you were talking to her."

"Got a lot of things I want to tell her, Libby, so I figure I'll just start talking whether she's awake or not and I'll keep on talking until she understands."

"You go right ahead, Son. I used to talk to Caroline when she was asleep, too, and we've always had a great father-daughter relationship. . . I see Sam's finally getting some rest."

"Yeah. She worked really hard bringing our daughter into the world, but she did it and did it _without_ any pain meds. I'm so damned proud of her and I've decided that she's going to do nothing for the next week except feed Emily. I'm going to wait on both of them hand and foot."

(Steve's gaze has traveled over to settle on his wife's sleeping form and there is no mistaking the love in his eyes as he gazes upon her beloved form. Libby and Mike smile indulgently and Mike refrains from telling Steve that he might want to talk that over with Sam first as they sit down on the loveseat in the sitting area of Sam's room and visit with Emily. Sam turns onto her side and her sleepy voice carries Steve's name to his ears so he returns to the chair beside her bed and leans over to give her a sweet kiss as he takes her hand.)

"Hey, Beautiful, how are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but I'm okay. Where's Emily?"

"Your folks have her over in the sitting area, but she's asleep."

"I'm surprised that she hasn't woken up wanting to nurse."

(Steve can't help himself and a full-fledged grin breaks out on his handsome face.)

"C'mon, Sam, you're not going to let one, tiny, little baby kick your six, are you?"

" 'Course not! . . I'm so glad I decided to nurse Emily; it's one of the sweetest, incredibly moving things I've ever experienced, Steve."

"I know, Beautiful. I have a confession to make, Sam."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Watching you nurse Emily earlier, well. . I'm a little jealous. You can do something for our daughter that I can't."

"Oh, Steve."

"Yeah, I'm ashamed of myself, but it's okay, Sweetheart; that's about the _only_ thing you can do for Emily that I can't; at least for the time being. And you're right; watching you nursing Emily is incredibly moving. . . God, Sam, I wish we could, I don't know, freeze this moment in time somehow."

"I know, but then we'd never see Emily grow up, and, we'd never have any more children."

"So, you want to have more babies?"

"Absolutely! I want Emily to have brothers or sisters or both one day."

"God but I love you, Sam. You just went through labor and delivery of our daughter without any pain meds and you're ready to do it all over again."

"Well, not right away, Steve, but, yeah, eventually. . . Mom? Would you bring Emily over here, please. I need to nurse her."

"Of course, I will, dear. Your father and I stopped by your house and picked up some things for all three of you. We brought you some nursing gowns and that robe you particularly like, we brought Steve some clean clothes and his shaving kit, and we brought Emily a couple of outfits; including the one you asked us to bring, Sam."

"Thanks, Mom, as soon as the baby gets through nursing, Steve can burp her and change her diaper while I take a shower. Caroline called earlier and she and Danny are bringing Gracie up her in a little while."

"Beth Newton called and wanted to know if you were up for visitors. Seems Steve's SEALs and their wives want to meet little Miss McGarrett, too."

"Call her back and tell her that's fine, Mom."

"Are you sure you're up for all this company, Sweetheart?"

"Positive, Sailor. Emily and I will be just fine. I'll feel a hundred percent better after I take a shower, wash my hair, and get into one of my own gowns."

(The door to Sam's room opens and a hospital volunteer rolls in a cart full of flowers. Sam's mouth drops open when the cheerful, older smiles and tells her _all_ the flowers on the cart are for her. There are beautiful arrangements from her parents, Caroline and Danny, Kono and Tony, Lana and Chin, and each one of the SEALs and their wives, one from Adm. and Mrs. Henderson, Lt. Cmdr. Monroe and his wife, and the maintenance crew at Pearl as well as a beautiful arrangement of peach-colored roses and baby's breath from Governor Jameson and her husband. Sam just shakes her head in wonder and heads into the bathroom while Steve, Libby, and Mike help the volunteer find places to sit the flower arrangements in the room.)


	123. Chapter 123

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: January 16, 2012**

**A/N: I'm so sorry that it has been a while since I've updated. My father became very ill around Thanksgiving and was hospitalized for quite some time. His condition seemed to improve and he came home on December 16, 2011. Four days later, on December 20, 2011, my precious Daddy died in his sleep. He went peacefully and was in no pain for which I am thankful. Because he died five days before Christmas and we had out of town relatives to consider, we were unable to have his funeral until December 27, 2011. We had a very difficult holiday period and now, as an only child, I am trying to sort through all of the red tape associated with the death of a veteran as well as notifying all agencies from which my father received a pension and/or retirement. **

**My heart is extremely heavy at this time and, to be honest, my spirit is sore. I DO plan to continue this story, but, at the moment, I am quite unable to do so. All I can do is take one day at a time and pray that God will help me work through the loss of my father. My only consolation is that he and my mother were able to spend Christmas together for the first time in twenty years and they are both healthy and whole and happy together in God's kingdom. **

**Thank you, my loyal fans, for your continued support of my writing. As I said, I will continue this story when I am able and that will, hopefully, be in the not too distant future. I appreciate you all so much.**

**Michelle**


	124. Chapter 124

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: March 29, 2012**

**A/N: Hello. I truly appreciate the many private messages of condolence I received from my readers on the death of my father. I am slowly, but surely, making my way back into life; it is a new "normal" now, and it's taking some getting used to. I offer you this chapter in the hope that I can do justice to this story and to all of you. Thank you all for being so supportive. I hope you enjoy this. Michelle**

(Sam has just gotten settled back in bed after taking a shower, putting on one of her own nursing gowns, brushing out her silky, golden hair and applying some light make up and she feels much better. Steve not only burped Emily and changed her diaper, but he dressed the baby in a fresh baby shirt and pale, pink booties. He has even gone so far as to affix a matching pink satin bow in the baby's silky, dark hair. Steve has just finished wrapping his tiny daughter in a pink baby blanket when Sam gets settled and he gently lays the baby in Sam's waiting arms and gives his wife a sweet kiss.)

"Emily looks adorable, Steve; you did a great job."

"Did you doubt I would, Sam?"

" 'Course not. . . I love you,"

"Love you, too, Sweetheart."

"You two can't get all 'sugary' as Grace calls it; she'll be here any minute now." 

"_All_ your visitors will be here any minute now, Children."

(And Mike's and Libby's words prove to be prophetic as the door to Sam's room opens and Grace Williams, a huge smile on her precious, little face, bursts into the room and makes a beeline straight to Sam's bed.)

"Aunt Sam, Aunt Sam, I want to see Emily!"

"Here she is, Nugget. Would you like to hold her?"

"Can I?"

(Steve, a grin on his face, as well, swings Grace up into his arms and sits her on the side of Sam's bed and then Sam carefully places the baby in the little girl's arms.)

"Sure you can, Gracie. Aunt Sam and I want you and Emily to become good friends."

"We're _cousins_, Uncle Steve!"

"Yes, you are, Gracie but Aunt Sam and your Mom were best friends before they were sisters, so you and Emily can be friends, too."

"She's so pretty, Aunt Sam; just like you!"

"Hey!"

"You're not pretty, Uncle Steve, you're handsome and Emily looks like you, too. Is she going to have blue eyes?"

"Don't know yet, Nugget. Babies usually have blue eyes for the first few months."

"Oh, okay. Has Eric met Emily yet?"

"No, but Kono and Tony are bringing him up here in a little while."

"You'll like Eric, Emily. He's just a few months older than you so you guys will be really good friends."

(And the young man in question is carried into Sam's hospital room by his mother who is followed by little Eric's father, Caroline, and Danny. Eric is wide awake and, when Kono steps over to Sam's bed, Eric's eyes, which are the exact same shade of blue as his father's, lock onto Gracie and the baby boy gurgles happily. Grace smiles at Eric and then looks back down at tiny Emily and begins the introductions.)

"Hello, Eric. I have a new friend for you to meet. This is my cousin, Emily Anne McGarrett. She's only a few hours old so she's pretty quiet right now. Emily, this is Eric Montgomery and he's pretty cool. He's cute and sweet and he always behaves really well for me so you have to behave for me, too."

"Of course Emily will behave for you, Gracie. She's my daughter, isn't she?"

(Steve, all full of himself at the moment, fails to see the sly looks and rolling of eyes going on in the room to include Gracie and Sam.)

"That's what kind of worries me, Uncle Steve. Danno says you _never_ behave. . . Well, sometimes you do for Aunt Sam."

(Steve looks incredulous at Gracie's calmly uttered words and his disbelief only grows as he glances around the room and his gaze finally stops on his wife. The small smile on Sam's face says it all and Steve just stares at her for a few moments.)

"Really? You're all going to run smack in front of my daughter?"

"Hey, Pineapple Boy, if the shoe fits . . . "

"How about I tell Gracie about some of your more dubious exploits, _Danno_?"

"How about the two of you start acting your age and stop fighting? I'm sure Sam would be much more comfortable if there were a little peace and quiet in here."

"Hey, don't stop them on my account, Caroline. I could use a good laugh."

"Good laugh? Really, Sam?"

"Yes, Danny, really. You go through hours of hard labor and delivery without anesthesia and then tell me I don't need a good laugh!"

(The door to Sam's room opens again to admit Lana and Chin who hear the last part of Sam's remark.)

"You're a better woman than I am, Sam. I don't think I could make it all the way through labor and delivery without anesthesia."

(Sam responds to Lana's comment but her eyes find and lock with her husband's.)

"You do what you have to do when you want something badly enough, Lana. . . Besides, it really wasn't _that_ bad."

(Libby and Kono look at one another and then at Sam like she's lost her mind but she just smiles as she gazes on her infant daughter held securely in Gracie's little arms.)

"You know, when I finally got to see Emily, well. . . I just forgot all about the pain I went through getting her here."

"Yes, dear, that's usually the way it happens. I'm just glad you and Emily are both all right."

"We're fine, Mom. Lt. Cmdr. Denning and Cmdr. Wallace, Emily's pediatrician, were both in here a little while ago and they both said we should be able to go home day after tomorrow."

"That soon?"

"Mom. I'm fine, Emily's fine; there's no reason for us to stay in the hospital any longer."

"Hmmph. Things have certainly changed since I had your sister."

"Now, Libby, you know why the doctors kept you and Caroline in the hospital so long."

(And just for a moment, a look of sadness crosses Libby's face before it clears and, realizing that this is no time to grieve over lost babies, she smiles at her brand new granddaughter as she leans over and kisses Sam's forehead.)

"Well, it really doesn't matter when you come home because, between your sister, Kono, Lana, Rosa, and me, you'll have plenty of help with that precious, little angel. Not too mention those lovely young ladies who are married to Steve's, er, Tony's SEALs. You won't have to lift a finger, Samantha; we'll take care of everything."

"Um, Mom. . . "

"All you'll have to do is sit back and rest and feed Emily and we'll do the rest."

"Mom."

"Don't worry about a thing, Sweetheart."

"Mom! . . I love you, all of you, and I'm very grateful for everything you've done for us, but, when Emily and I are discharged from the hospital, Steve is taking us home and the three of us are going to get better acquainted while Emily gets used to her new home."

(Libby looks at her daughter's determined face and realizes that she might have gotten just a little carried away; especially after she told Steve he might want to ask Sam how much help she wanted before doing everything for her.)

"You're absolutely right, Sam. Forgive me, dear. You and Steve and Emily do need some time to yourselves. You let us know when you need us."

"I love you, Mom, and I'll always need you. I just. . . The three of us need some time to get to know one another better."

(The moment passes without either Sam or Libby getting upset and the rest of the visit goes well. Once everyone except Caroline, Danny and Grace have left, Sam sends a look in Steve's direction and he correctly reads his wife's unspoken request. Handing his daughter to her aunt, he gets Danny and Gracie out of the room so the two sisters can have a few minutes to themselves. Caroline, holding little Emily and laughing delightedly as the tiny baby grasps a strand of Caroline's long, reddish-gold hair and gently pulls, sits on the side of Sam's bed. She is somewhat surprised when she looks up and sees the expression on Sam's face.)

"Uh oh, I know that look. What's wrong?"

"I'm worried about you, Caroline."

"Why on Earth would you be worried about me; especially right now?"

"Have you talked to Danny?"

"About having a baby? Yeah, Sam, I have,"

"And?"

"And we have an appointment to talk with Lt. Cmdr. Denning in a few days."

"I'm so glad, Caroline. Told you Danny would be okay with you guys having a baby."

"Yeah, you did, and Grace is really good with it, too. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy spoiling my niece rotten. . . She's beautiful, Sam; the perfect combination of you and Steve."

"She is, isn't she? As long as I live I will never forget the look on Steve's face when we finally got a good look at her. He told me he fell in love with her the second he laid eyes on her. . . So did I."

"Hey, what's with the frown?"

"There are still people out there who want to hurt me and Steve and our baby, Caroline, and I'm scared."

"Sam, you know good and well that no one is going to get near you or Emily! Steve McGarrett isn't about to let anything happen to either one of you and you know it!"

"Yeah, I do, but what if the Kasavitch family gets to him?"

"That's not going to happen, either. Between Danny and Kono and Chin and Tony and those SEALs, I think you three are going to be the best protected people on the planet until those nasty people are caught and put behind bars. Don't let the Kasavich family destroy your happiness, Sam. Don't let them take away one, precious moment of this experience from you."

"I love you, Caroline, and I'm so grateful you're my sister."

"Love you, too, Sam. Now I think my niece is getting hungry again and I certainly don't have what she's looking for so I'm going to hand her over. I'll stop by in the morning,"

(Giving Sam a kiss on the forehead, Caroline gently places the suddenly rooting infant in her mother's arms and heads out the door. A few minutes later, Steve slips quietly into Sam's room and sits on the side of her bed watching as she nurses the baby. He gently runs a finger down the softness of Emily's round, little cheek and the leans over and kisses Sam squarely on the mouth before shifting to slide an arm around Sam's shoulders and getting contentedly comfortable.)

**A/N: I hope this chapter is "up to snuff". I wanted to post something long before now, but ran into a slight snag. I had been experiencing some pain in my neck, left shoulder, and arm a few weeks before my father died in December, but was too busy taking care of him to have it looked at. Long story short, over the past several months I've had an MRI which determined I have bone spurs and compressed discs in my cervical spine. Had reached a point where typing was very painful. Have had one cervical epidural steroid injection and am having another one this coming Monday. Hopefully, this will take care of the problem. Just in case, I make this chapter extra long in case I don't feel like typing for a while. Sorry for the delay. Hope you all enjoy. Please let me know what you think; I need your reviews so I'll know if I'm on the right track. Love to you all and thank you all for your support and kind words in the loss of my father.**

**Michelle**


	125. Chapter 125

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 22, 2012**

(Libby is very quiet on the drive home from the base hospital and Mike is fairly certain he knows what's on his wife's mind. As he walks up the stairs behind Libby and follows her into their bedroom, he tries to find the right words to lay her fears to rest. He is not prepared, however, when Libby, usually the coolest, most calm person in any situation, suddenly slams her purse down on their dresser and whirls around to face him with her fists clenched at her sides and a look of pure fury on her face.)

"Michael, I have had just about enough! I am more than a little sick and tired of those horrible Kasavich people trying to destroy my family and I want then stopped. NOW!"

"Whoa, Libby! What brought this on?"

"You know good and well what brought this on! Sam and Steve should be celebrating the birth of their first child with unbridled joy instead of worrying about whether or not someone's going to try and hurt them or Emily!"

"And what makes you think they're worrying, Libby?"

"The shadows in their eyes, especially Sam's, that I saw several times during the course of the afternoon and evening. I'm telling you, Mike, something has to be done about those horrible people and the sooner the better!"

"Libby, I swear to you that everything that can be done to locate the Kasavich family and the people who work for them is being done."

"I certainly hope so!"

"Libby, Sweetheart, I promise you that our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter are perfectly safe and will remain that way. Danny, Chin, Tony, and I managed to have a brief but informative conversation in the hall outside Sam's room at the hospital earlier. There are going to be H.P.D. officers assigned to keep an eye on Sam's and Steve's house until the people threatening the children are caught, and Tony's SEALs are going to be watching, as well. Anyone who tries to harm Sam, Steve, or Emily in any way is going to be in for a very big surprise."

"I pray you're right, Mike. Goodness knows Sam and Steve have been through more than enough these past few years and they deserve to be happy."

"Of course they do, Libby, and so do we. Now, stop worrying so much and let's talk about our beautiful, new granddaughter."

(At the Williams' house, a similar conversation is taking place. Danny has watched Caroline as she has silently gone about changing into a nightgown, brushing her teeth and hair and started pacing back in forth at the foot of their bed. Inwardly sighing, Danny knows that his wife will bring up whatever it is that's bothering her when she's good and ready and so he quietly watches Caroline and waits. Sure enough, she is ready to discuss what's on her mind inside of ten minutes.)

"Sam's scared, Danny. She's afraid that those nasty people who work for Irina Kasavich are going to try to hurt her or Steve or little Emily and she's not the only one. What are you doing to ensure that my sister's and my niece's safety?"

"What? You're not worried about your brother-in-law?"

"Of course, I'm worried about him, but Steve can take care of himself!"

"And Sam can't?"

"Usually, but she's a mother now, and her first priority is going to be Emily! Sam will do whatever it takes, including putting herself in danger, to make sure Emily is safe."

"Yeah, okay, Caroline, I hear you. Listen, Mike, Tony, Chin and I talked out in the hallway at the hospital earlier. H.P.D. is going to be crawling all over Sam's and Steve's property and I talked to the Governor. She's put in a 'special request' to the Coast Guard and asked them to put a couple of cutters in the waters behind the house for a little while. Tony's SEALs are going to take turns watching the house, front and back, as long as they can until they're called up again. There's no way anyone can approach the house, from any direction, without us knowing about it."

"And just how long do you think you all can keep this up, Danny? H.P.D. won't put extra officers on each shift just to keep an eye on Sam and Steve indefinitely, neither will the Coast Guard, and Tony and his guys will either be called up again or they'll have to take part in training exercises and they'll also have to report to the base for duty. They can't watch the house indefinitely, either. How long do you think it's going to be before Five-0 gets another case that's going to keep you and Chin and Kono _and_ Steve tied up for hours, maybe even days or weeks on end? Irina Kasavich is the only member of that family who isn't in prison, she's well-thought of and well-connected in her home country, and she has all the time in the world and more than enough money to hire as many assassins as it takes for her to get what she wants: Steve dead, Sam sold into the slave trade, and little Emily stolen from us! Sam's scared and so am I, Danny!"

(Caroline has worked herself up into quite a state and Danny gets out of their bed, walks quickly over to his wife, and pulls her into his arms. He is rather surprised to find that Caroline is trembling and there is actual fear in her eyes. Danny realizes that she is truly frightened and fear is not an emotion he normally associates with his wife.)

"I swear to you, Caroline, we're going to do everything humanly possible to protect Sam and Steve and Emily. Yes, Tony and the rest of his guys will have to return to duty on the base and they may get called up, but the Coast Guard _will _remain in place until the threat has been eliminated, and H.P.D. _will_ continue to watch the house, and you know that Kono and Chin and I aren't about to let anyone get anywhere near Sam or Steve or the baby. We'll get Irina Kasavich and everyone who works for her, Sweetheart, and, once we do, none of us will ever have to worry about the Kasavich family ever again."


	126. Chapter 126

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 23, 2012**

(Steve realizes that Sam is more tired than she's letting on as her eyes start to drift closed while Emily is nursing. Having done some research of his own about mothers nursing their infants, Steve is aware that Sam needs to get Emily to switch sides for both their sakes' so he gently nudges Sam as he calls her name. Her beautiful, but sleepy, eyes slowly open to meet his and he helps her shift Emily around. He also assures Sam that he will burp Emily and put her in her crib when she finishes nursing and Sam smiles her thanks to him as her eyelids drift slowly downwards again. True to his word, Steve carefully eases his daughter away from her mother several minutes later, adjusts Sam's gown, gently pats Emily's little back until she emits a very dainty, little burp, and carefully places her in her hospital crib, tucks a blanket around her, and rolls the crib closer to Sam's bed. Bending over to place a gentle kiss on Emily's soft, little cheek, Steve feels a rush of love for this tiny little being he's partly responsible for bringing into the world, and then slides in beside his sleeping wife and pulls her into his strong arms after kissing her gently, as well. Steve is pretty exhausted himself, it's been a rather monumental day, after all, but his cannot drift off to sleep as easily as did his wife and daughter. Steve knows that the men Irina Kasavich sent to Hawaii for the express purpose of taking his wife and child away from him are out there somewhere in the night and so is Mark Andrews. Although Steve feels that Sam and Emily are relatively safe here in the hospital on the Naval base, he also knows that they'll both be discharged and going home in less than forty-eight hours. While he is aware of the fact that their family and friends are going to do everything within their power to keep an eye on not only Sam and Emily, but him as well, he also knows how powerful Irina Kasavich is, how determined Mark Andrews is, and cold, hard fear slithers inside him. Unconsciously, he tightens his hold on Sam so much that she sleepily protests and he immediately loosens his arms. Furious at himself for causing her even one moment of pain, he is filled with an even stronger fury at Irina Kasavich and Mark Andrews. It is later, when Sam turns in her sleep in Steve's arms so that he can see her sweet face, that his eyes drift closed and he finally allows sleep to overtake him . . .

_Sam finds herself walking alone in a cold, wet fog and she is gripped by a deep and intense fear as she stumbles along. The sound of a baby crying reaches Sam's ears and her heart leaps into her throat. Emily! Oh, God, Emily, where are you? Mommy's coming, Sweetheart! Mommy will find you! Every time Sam thinks she's almost reached her baby, the sound of little Emily's crying becomes more distant. Sam is beside herself; she desperately wants to find her daughter, but cannot. Finally, Sam comes to a place where the fog isn't as thick and thins out until only a few wisps of the oppressive mist remain. Suddenly, Irina Kasavich steps into view holding little Emily in her arms; a very wicked smirk on her face. Before Sam can fully register what she is seeing, Mark Andrews steps into view near Irina with a malevolent leer on his face. Sam knows that she must get her child away from Irina and Andrews at any cost, and that she will, most likely, die for her efforts, but she takes a determined step in their direction anyway. It is then that she sees Steve's body lying on the ground between her two enemies covered in blood and his lifeless eyes staring unseeingly. Sam begins to scream . . . . . _

Steve is instantly awake and gently shaking Sam as he urgently calls her name in an effort to waken her from her nightmare before she awakens their baby. After several desperate moments, relief floods through Steve as Sam's eyes open and she quickly gets her bearings. A quick glance in Emily's direction assures Steve that their daughter's sleep is undisturbed, and he gathers Sam close as a soft trembling grips her.)

"It's all right, Sam. Whatever it was you were dreaming about, you're all right and so is our baby and so am I. We're safe, Sweetheart."

"For the moment, Steve, but what about tomorrow or the next day or the day after that? What about next week or next month? We aren't going to be able to live our lives with any kind of . . . Normalcy until Irina Kasavich, Mark Andrews, and the people who work for them are either in jail or dead. And I've gotta tell you, Steve, I'm opting for 'dead' at this moment, and isn't _that_ a Hell of a way to feel?"

"I understand it, Sam. . . Baby, I swear to you that, as long as I have breath in my body, I will not let anyone hurt you or Emily!"

"See, Steve, that's just it. . . I just saw you _lying dead_ at the feet of Irina Kasavich and Mark Andrews. Irina was holding Emily and Mark was . . . I cannot live like this, Steve! I _won't_ live like this! I know that you and my Dad, and Danny and everyone else seems to think that best way to deal with this situation is to keep us 'under wraps', but that isn't going to do anything but delay the inevitable."

"What are you saying, Sam?"

"Remember what we did when you were shot to get to Dimitri Kasavich?"

"You want to set a trap and use yourself and Emily as bait. Not. Going. To. Happen!"

"It's the only way, Steve!"

"No, Sam!"

"For God's sake, Steve, H.P.D. and the Coast Guard, and your SEALs and even Five-0 cannot watch over us every minute of every day indefinitely! We cannot live our lives wrapped up in a cocoon! And what about our family and friends? Are we going to forbid them from coming to our house for fear someone will try to hurt them? Are we going to stay away from them for the same reason? Are we going to keep Emily from her grandparents? My mother will never stand for that and you know it!"

"Damn it, Sam!"

"I can't live that way, Steve, and neither can you and I'll be damned if Emily is going to be forced to grow up in constant fear for her life or that something's going to happen to her mother or father!"

"Your way isn't acceptable, Sam!"

"Neither is yours, Steve!"

(But the fierce argument between husband and wife is interrupted by the cries of their daughter as little Emily Anne McGarrett makes her presence, and her hunger, known. Gently picking his daughter up, Steve hands her to her mother before sliding out of Sam's bed and pacing to the room door and back while Sam nurses their child. Neither of them speaks again while Emily gets what she wants, Sam burps the baby, and then settles her back in her crib. Straightening her gown, Sam's angry eyes follow Steve's jerky movements for quite some time before he stops his pacing and meets her eyes; anger also reflected in his.)


	127. Chapter 127

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 24, 2012**

(Libby immediately knows that something is dreadfully wrong the moment she sets foot in Sam's hospital room at eight-thirty the following morning. Steve is nowhere to be seen and Sam is standing at the window of her room holding Emily very close and staring out the window but apparently seeing nothing. While it may not be obvious to others, Libby has absolutely no doubt that Sam has been crying and Steve's absence speaks volumes. Glancing down at her granddaughter, Libby determines that the baby is fast asleep and she gently eases the infant from her mother's arms and places her in her crib. The fact that Sam doesn't protest, in fact, doesn't really respond in any way, except to relinquish the baby to her grandmother, alarms Libby far more than anything else Sam could have done. Having made sure Emily is safely settled in her crib, Libby turns back to Sam and isn't surprised in the least to see tears welling in her daughter's eyes. Pulling Sam into her familiar embrace, Libby simply holds her while Sam's tears flow unchecked. Several minutes later, when Sam seems to be getting herself under control, Libby pulls back, places two fingers under Sam's chin and gently lifts her face. Searching her child's features, Libby sees the raw pain, anger, fear, and heartache that Sam is experiencing at the moment. Sitting on the side of Sam's bed and pulling Sam down beside her, Libby takes both of Sam's hands in hers.)

"Sam, where is Steve?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, Mom, I don't. I haven't seen him since before daybreak."

"I see. . . . I am so dreadfully sorry, Samantha."

"For what, Mom? You've done nothing."

"No, but it's about time I did. I'll be back in a little while, Sam."

"Where are you going, Mom?"

"To _do _something, dear."

(And before Sam can say another word, Libby is out the door. Not wanting to disturb Emily, Sam crawls into her bed and curls up into a ball, silent tears sliding forlornly down her cheeks. . . .

Libby has absolutely no idea where her son-in-law has gotten off to or why he would have left Sam and Emily alone, but she knows exactly where she is going and why. Stepping off the elevator a couple of floors from Sam's, Libby walks quickly and quietly down the hallway until she reaches a set of double doors. Stepping through the doors, Libby is somewhat surprised to find that Steve has apparently had the same idea as has she. Making her way down the center aisle, Libby wordlessly sits down next to her son-in-law.)

"Your wife is upstairs crying. She's in a great deal of pain, Son, and I'm fairly certain you're at least partly to blame. Would you like to tell me about it?"

"What did Sam tell you?"

(Libby is shocked at the hoarseness of Steve's voice and she realizes that he is, quite possibly, just as angry and hurt as is Sam.)

"Nothing; she wasn't capable of telling me much of anything."

(At Libby's firmly uttered words, Steve's head snaps around so that he is looking directly at her and she is even more shocked at his haggard appearance. His eyes are red-rimmed and there are dark circles beneath them. His eyes are haunted and she has no doubt that he is hurting terribly. He quickly turns his head away, however, and he, too, remains silent. Taking a deep breath, Libby settles in for the duration. Neither Sam nor Steve will talk to her and tell her why they're both so upset, but she decides that she stands a better chance of getting to the bottom of things with Steve rather than Sam so she makes herself as comfortable as possible on the padded bench in the hospital's Chapel and waits; using her time wisely as she closes her eyes and prays for Sam, Steve, and little Emily. . . .

Watching as the launch carrying one of his informants heads back to the island of Oahu, Mark Andrews smiles grimly as he thinks over everything his visitor had to say. Samantha McGarrett delivered her child, a daughter, yesterday, and Andrews couldn't be any happier. While a son would have served his purpose, a daughter will most likely guarantee that he will be able to complete his deal with Irina Kasavich and never have to worry about anything again for the rest of his life. Yes, a daughter who looks like her mother and will grow into a beautiful young woman like her mother and will one day be the instrument of her father's death. Knowing that Steve McGarrett will be very much aware of the fact that his own child will bring about his death one day pleases Mark Andrews greatly. But, even more thrilling for him, is knowing that Steve McGarrett will first experience a "living death" each day of his life as he wonders where his wife and daughter are and what is happening to them. Perhaps, after he's had his fun with Samantha McGarrett, Andrews will send pictures of her with many other men to her distraught husband. Yes, that just might be an interesting way to torture the mighty Commander McGarrett. . . .

Irina Kasavich has also learned of the birth of Emily Anne McGarrett and she is more anxious than ever to have the child taken from her parents and under her roof. The sooner she has control of the child, the sooner she can begin to turn the daughter against the father. Placing a call to a business associate in Hong Kong, Irina describes Samantha McGarrett in great detail and names a new, higher price for the woman to her associate.)


	128. Chapter 128

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 26, 2012**

(Libby's patience is finally rewarded when Steve, after what seems like forever but has actually been only a half an hour or so, lowers his head so that he is staring at his hands which are clasped in his lap and starts speaking in a voice that is still hoarse.)

"Sam had a dream; a nightmare in which she saw Irina Kasavich holding

Emily and Mark Andrews standing over my dead body. . . She started screaming, but I was able to wake her up before she woke the baby. . . We started talking about the security measures we have in place and Sam said she . . _We _couldn't live that way."

"Do you disagree with her?"

"No, Libby, I don't, but then we started talking about a solution to our problem and Sam suggested. . ."

"What, Steve, what did Sam suggest?"

"That she and Emily be 'bait' for Irina and Andrews."

"That's why the two of you fought."

"Yes."

"Sam's right, you know."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, Sam's right. You _can't_ live your lives locked up in your own home and being watched day and night. I also agree with Sam that the two of you need to be proactive in this situation."

"You think I should allow my wife and daughter to be bait?"

"As difficult as this is for me to say, . . . Yes, Steve, I do. Neither you, nor Sam, nor little Emily, nor any of the rest of us are ever going to have any peace in our lives until the threat to the three of you is gone. I think you need to be willing to do whatever is necessary to eliminate that threat. Will it be dangerous? Absolutely. Will it be quick and easy? Probably not. Will you regret it the rest of your life if you don't at least _try_? Definitely. Have you stopped to think just how much it cost Sam to even suggest such a thing? Have you been able to look past your own hurt and anger and see how much this is hurting Sam? Have you even thought about how extremely frightening this must be for Sam? She's willing to sacrifice her own life for you and Emily, Steve. The least you can do is sit down and talk with her about this calmly and rationally and like the two, intelligent adults you are. You owe it to Sam and to yourself to do at least that much."

"I don't think she'll talk to me right now, Libby."

"Well, dear, you certainly won't know until you try."

"You know, I once bragged to Mike and Danny that Sam and I had never, in all the years we've known each other, had a fight of any kind, let alone a serious one. I pray to God we never have another one; I don't think anything's ever hurt me as much. . . . I love her so much, Libby,"

"I know you do, Son; Sam knows it, too. And, make no mistake about it, Steve; Sam loves you just as much as you love her."

(Libby reaches over and places a hand on top of his.)

"Son, if the two of you didn't love each other so much, you wouldn't think twice about the . . Misunderstanding you've had and neither of you would be in so much pain right now. Quite frankly, Steve, I don't know how you and Sam have made it through everything that's happened in your lives in the past few years without one or both of you losing your minds. But, you are both exceedingly strong-willed individuals and you usually get through these difficult situations because you are both so determined to live your lives on _your _terms. One thing I do know for certain is that you and Sam love each other; fiercely. Don't let the bad guys win, Son. Don't let them tear you and Sam apart. The two of you need each other and little Emily needs her mother and her father. Go talk with your wife, Steve. Listen to what she has to say, the two of you come up with a way to rid yourselves of the people who are trying to hurt your family, and then do it."

(Steve looks up at Libby and searches her eyes for a few moments before slowly nodding his head. Leaning over, his kisses his mother-in-law on the cheek and squeezes her hand before standing up and walking out of the hospital chapel on the way to Sam's room. Libby sits right where she is and bows her head again asking God to protect her family and let the nightmare they've all been living in end; once and for all. . .

Steve thinks back over Libby's words as he walks to the elevator and waits for it to open and he realizes that his mother-in-law was dead on target. . . He and Sam came very, very close to letting the bad guys come between them in the early hours of the morning and that is totally unacceptable. He also realizes that Libby was right when she said that he and Sam needed to talk about this instead of hurling hurtful words at each other in anger. And, as much as he hates to admit it, Sam _is_ right; they cannot live the rest of their lives in fear so the sooner they come up with a plan to eliminate the threat, the sooner they will be free to live their lives the way they want. . . .

When Steve opens the door to Sam's room, she quickly turns away from the window where she was standing and is in her husband's arms in a matter of seconds. Steve's strong arms close around Sam and he holds her as tightly as he can while mentally kicking himself for ever being so thoughtless and cruel as to deliberately inflict one moment's pain on the woman in his arms.)


	129. Chapter 129

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 26, 2012**

(Libby remains in the hospital Chapel for quite some time after Steve leaves her and has her own conversation with God. Finally, she heads to the elevator and is thankful for her timing when the doors open to pick her up and Caroline is standing inside the elevator. Quickly stepping inside and determining that she and her daughter are the only two people in the elevator, Libby quickly shares the morning's events with Caroline. By the time the elevator doors open on Sam's floor, Caroline has been thoroughly filled in and she and her mother take seats in the waiting room just down the hall from Sam's room; neither of them quite ready to interrupt any discussion Sam and Steve may be having. Quite frankly, Libby is just the least bit afraid of what exactly they might walk in on and wants an extra few minutes to gather her courage. Finding Sam in such a distraught state and then the rather difficult conversation she had with Steve in the Chapel have been quite quite taxing on Libby. Caroline is a little shaken up by the fact that her mother would even consider condoning using Sam and Emily as bait, but, then again, she's just about as tired of the Kasavich family and their evil as everyone else. Caroline also knows that her sister and brother-in-law are perfectly capable of planning and executing whatever op they need to in order to get rid of the threat to their family. What has Caroline worried is the fact that, now that Emily has arrived, both Sam's and Steve's judgment may be a little skewed because they're both determined to protect their child even if it costs them their own lives. The more she thinks about this the more agitated Caroline gets and she decides that there's someone both she and her mother need to talk to ASAP. Pulling out her cellular phone, she hits the speed dial for her father and waits for him to answer. . . .

For several long minutes after Steve walked back into Sam's room, the only thing the two of them have done is hold each other tightly and murmur apologies and words of love to one another. Emily, bless her little heart, has slept through her parents' somewhat emotional episode and continues to sleep angelically in her crib; her little thumb lodged firmly in her tiny mouth. Steve glances over at his sleeping daughter and smiles as he continues to gently stroke Sam's hair. Now that he and Sam have "kissed and made up", he realizes that it's time for them to sit down and discuss their situation calmly and rationally. Easing back slightly from Sam, Steve looks down into her beautiful, emerald green eyes and, unable to help himself, drops a soft kiss on top of her nose. Settling himself comfortable on Sam's bed, Steve pulls his wife into his arms so that her back is cradled against his chest and they can both see their baby.)

"I am so sorry, Sam. I should have listened to what you had to say instead of yelling like a mad man and storming out on you."

"I shouldn't have just thrown it out there like I did, Steve. . . God, I HATE this! Our baby's less than twenty-four hours old and those damned people have already intruded on what should be one of the happiest times of our lives!"

"I know, Baby, I know. Sam, I swear to you, Sweetheart, one way or the other, we're going to get Irina Kasavich, Mark Andrews, and anyone working for either of them out of our lives once and for all, and we're going to make that happen soon."

"I hope so, Sailor, because I don't want our daughter touched by any of this ugliness we've been dealing with lately. . . . Steve, I think it's time we called for back-up."

"Right there with you, Beautiful. Just let me send out an 'S.O.S.'"

(Both Sam and Steve are quite surprised when, less than five minutes after Steve sends his text, the door to Sam's room opens and Libby, Mike, Caroline, Danny, Kono, Tony, Chin, and Senior Chief Newton walk into Sam's hospital room. The expression on everyone's face is grim, but Mike, Danny, Kono, Tony, Chin, and Senior Chief Newton look downright murderous. Apparently, Libby has filled everyone in, in very thorough detail, on what transpired at the hospital that morning and everyone in the room is ready to use any means necessary to eliminate the threat to the McGarrett family. Senior Chief Newton sums the general feeling up very concisely.)

"Just say the word, Boss. We're locked and loaded and ready to take these bastards out!"

(And Chin, who is usually the voice of reason for the team from Five-0 chimes in right behind him.)

"We've got 'means and immunity', Steve; let's put it to work to _our_ advantage without second guessing ourselves. These S.O.B.s have gone too far this time!"

"Agreed, Chin. Okay, let's all sit down and plan this op. Throw whatever ideas you may have on the table and we'll discuss them. There are no limits."

"Now you're talking, Boss. Okay, here's what I've had running around in the back of my mind since Mrs. T. read us in."

(And Tony proceeds to throw his ideas out to the group. There are frowns of worry, expressions of surprise, and expressions of thoughtful concentration on the face of every person in the room, and they all, Libby included, throw questions and suggestions out here and there. Other people share their ideas and the process starts over. They all realize this isn't going to be a quick or easy process, but they're all committed to coming up with a viable op plan and then executing that plan to achieve their goal. And there is absolutely no doubt that they _will_ achieve their goal. Senior Chief Newton happens to standing next to little Emily's crib when she begins to waken and fuss and he gently picks the tiny infant up in his huge hands and looks at her for a moment before heading toward Sam.)

"Don't you worry, Little Lady, we're going to make sure no one ever hurts you or your Mommy or your Daddy and then we'll teach you everything you need to know about how to defend yourself."

(Sam and Steve share an amused glance as they both recall their earlier conversation about not taking McBaby to watch SEAL training or up in an airplane for a while and Steve just can't resist.)

"Guess we should have read the Senior Chief in on our game plan, Beautiful."

"C'mon, Sailor, you knew that was a lost cause the first time we talked about it."


	130. Chapter 130

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 29, 2012**

(Sam and little Emily are discharged from the base hospital right on schedule, and Steve takes his wife and daughter home. Libby and Mike, Caroline and Danny, Kono, Tony, and little Eric, Lana and Chin and Rosa are waiting for the new family at the McGarrett's house and have lunch ready shortly after they arrive. Tony has already set-up a portable crib in the dining room strategically placed next to Sam's chair but is it a while before little Emily finally gets to rest in the soft, comfortable bedding. She is, quite literally, passed from one adult to the other, starting with her grandparents, until she makes the complete circuit of the room. She's a very good baby, however, and gazes quietly up at each person with a sweet expression on her beautiful, little face. While Tony is holding Emily and Kono is holding little Eric, Emily watches the baby boy most intently, or as intently as an infant only a few days' old can, and Tony remarks on the fact that Miss Emily Anne McGarrett is one smart young lady as she already knows that Eric is a baby, too. His seriously stated comment is met with smiles from the ladies and snorts from the rest of the men except Steve who whole-heartedly agrees with Tony that, yes, Emily _is_ a very smart baby. Sam just smiles indulgently at her husband as he and Tony continue to make silly faces and funny noises in an effort to make the baby girl smile. Emily's finally had enough, though, and begins to fuss and cry. Her Mommy knows exactly what Emily wants and, excusing herself, heads upstairs to nurse her tiny daughter. It's not necessarily that Sam has any problem with throwing a baby blanket over her shoulder and nursing Emily anywhere at any time; it's just that she wants the opportunity to spend more time with her daughter in a more private setting. Steve, knowing that Sam needs this time alone with Emily, sends an understanding and loving smile in her direction as she leaves the dining room. Libby's eyes follow mother and daughter out of the room and there is a moment when her emotions almost get the better of her, but, being Libby, she sucks it up and forces a pleasant smile on her face.)

"Why don't we go ahead and get started with lunch? I'm quite sure Sam won't be long and she wouldn't want us to wait on her account. Pass the Poppy seed Chicken Casserole, would you, Chin, dear? In the short time I've known her, I've learned that Rosa is the most wonderful cook."

"What are we having for dessert? Something smells fabulous."

"That would be Rosa's Spice Cake, Kono, and, after watching her make it, I have to tell you that I'm very tempted to eat nothing _but_ dessert."

"Well I, for one, am in complete agreement with you, Mom. If Rosa's Spice Cake tastes half as good as it smells, that may very well be all I have for lunch!"

(But Libby's, Kono's, and Caroline's efforts at a normal conversation, although very much appreciated by everyone present, isn't getting the job done. The threat to Sam, Emily, and Steve, and the plan they've come up with to eliminate that threat is first and foremost in everyone's mind. Although they've all agreed on what they're going to do to put an end to the Kasavich family and their evil, once and for all, and have also agreed that being proactive is the only way to approach the situation, they all know that the coming days and, perhaps, weeks are going to be dangerous and difficult for all of them; especially Sam, Steve, and little Emily. After being filled in by Sam and Steve on what they all needed to do, Rosa has put her fears behind her and is determined to do her part in the plan to the best of her ability. Her heart is nearly breaking, however, for the sacrifice that both Senora Sam and Senor Steve are going to have to make in order for their plan to work. . .

Upstairs, Sam is sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery gazing into her tiny daughter's face as the little girl contentedly nurses completely unaware of the danger and heartache all around her. Sam gently touches her child's dark, silky hair and then the soft curve of Emily's little cheek and her heart swells with a fierce love and protectiveness for this tiny little girl who is, in Sam's opinion, the spitting image of her Daddy. The baby's little fist moves to rest on her mother's breast as she nurses and Sam covers the infant's hand with her own as her throat suddenly begins to tighten and unshed tears fill her eyes. The very thought of _not_ being able to touch or hold or nurse or simply look upon her daughter sends a stabbing pain straight to Sam's heart and she has to work very hard to stop the sobs that threaten to escape. The sound of Rosa's voice from the doorway captures Sam's attention and the honest compassion on the older woman's face is nearly her undoing. Rosa slowly walks into the room and stops a few steps from the rocking chair.)

"Are you all right, Senora Sam? Listen to me, of course you are not all right!"

"I'm fine, Rosa. At least, as fine as I can be all things considered. . . Is anything wrong downstairs?"

"No, Senora Sam, everything is just fine. Everyone has begun to eat their lunch but I . . . I am worried about you, Senora. I do not like to see you so upset."

"That's because you are a very caring and compassionate person, Rosa, and we are all so very glad that you are part of our family now."

"I am very glad to be here, Senora. After six years on that island, I had almost forgotten what a normal life was like."

"I wouldn't exactly call this 'normal', Rosa. I apologize for getting you off that island just to bring you into this horrible situation in which we now find ourselves."

"Do not apologize, Senora Sam, this is in no way your fault! I am just glad that I can be here to help you get these horrible people out of your lives. You and Senor Steve and Senorita Emily deserve to enjoy being a family without worrying about anyone hurting any of you."

(While they've been talking, Emily has started to drift off to sleep and Sam shifts the baby to her shoulder and begins to gently burp her. Sam smiles gently at Rosa and stands up to close the small distance between them. Mindful of her daughter, Sam gives Rosa a quick hug and they both laugh as Emily chooses that moment to emit a rather loud and hearty burp.)

"Well, Steve McGarrett certainly can't deny Emily is his daughter; she's already just as loud and unmindful of her manners as he can be sometimes."

"But Senora Sam, why would Senor Steve not wish to claim Senorita Emily as his daughter? And she's just a tiny baby, Senora, she doesn't understand anything about good manners yet."

(Sam cannot help but laugh at Rosa's confusion and gently explains that she was joking as the two women walk back down the stairs to join everyone else. By the time Sam has gently laid Emily in the portable crib in the dining room, Rosa, too, is laughing at Sam's jest. Once they have both resumed their seats at the table, Sam proceeds to surprise Rosa yet again.)

"Rosa, I realize that you were expected to address . . . _That woman_ and others on the island in a certain manner, but, you're a part of our ohana now, and I've decided that all this formality just won't do; especially if you keep addressing our daughter as 'Senorita Emily'. Good heavens it will take you forever just to get her attention as she gets older. So, from now on it's just 'Sam', 'Steve', and 'Emily', all right?"

(Rosa looks a little stunned as, yet again, this young woman she has just come to know has surprised her quite effectively. Before she can reply, Libby chimes right in behind her daughter.)

"I completely agree with Sam. You are part of our family, now and there is absolutely no reason for you not to call any of us by our first names."

(Everyone else is nodding their heads in agreement and Rosa looks around at them all before looking back at Sam.)

"All right, Seno . . . Sam, if that is what you truly wish."

"It is very much what I wish, Rosa. You've already risked your life for me once and now you're ready and willing to do it again. If that doesn't mean you are truly a part of this family, I don't know what does!"


	131. Chapter 131

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: April 29, 2012**

(After lunch, most everyone pitches in to help clean up before taking their leave so Sam, Steve, and Emily can have some quality family time. As per their op plan, Rosa goes home with Libby and Mike and they are the last three to leave the McGarrett's. While Libby and Rosa are talking with Sam, Mike and Steve head out to the driveway. Mike knows his son-in-law is extremely worried, no matter how outwardly calm he appears, and, while he shares Steve's concerns, he also wants to reassure himself that Steve has his head in the game.)

"This is going to work, Steve. It's going to take a little time, but the threat to you and Sam and the baby is going to be eliminated and you're all three going to be just fine."

"It's killing her, Mike."

"She'll be fine, Steve."

"She's not fine now! . . . How can you look at her and _not_ see how much this is hurting her?"

"I know it is, Son. Hell, this is hurting _all_ of us, but it's the only way!"

"I swear to God, if I get my hands on Mark Andrews or Irina Kasavich, I will kill them with my bare hands! No. Questions. Asked!"

(Mike realizes that Steve needs to vent the anger and fear that have been eating at him for days and that this is his way of doing so. However, Mike also knows that Steve meant every word he just said and Mike doesn't necessarily disagree with him. Now that he's had a bit of an outburst, Steve's expression turns from anger to one of concern. Taking a deep breath and running a hand agitatedly through his hair, Steve turns to look toward the front door where Sam is hugging first Rosa and then her mother goodbye.)

"I need to give you a 'heads up', Mike. Sam and I are both writing letters to Emily in case. . ."

"Steve."

"In case things don't go as planned on this op, we want you to make sure that Emily gets those letters when she's old enough to understand what's in them."

"Steve."

"We've asked Danny and Caroline to be Emily's godparents, but we also know that they're going to want children of their own eventually, so, should anything happen to me and Sam, we want you and Libby to . . . to raise our daughter. You know us both so well and you know how we'd. ."

"Stop right there, Son. You and Sam are going to raise Emily because nothing is going to happen to either of you."

"You don't know that, Mike; none of us knows how this is going to end."

"No, but I know you and I know my daughter. When the two of you set your minds to something, well, let's just say that I'd hate to be the object of your and Sam's anger."

(Steve starts to say something else but Libby and Rosa have reached the car and Sam is waiting on the porch with Emily cradled in her arms. Steve gets a hug from Rosa and a hug and kiss on the cheek from his mother-in-law along with one of Libby's patented "I have faith in you, Son" looks as she gets into the car. Steve joins Sam on the porch and looks down at his sleeping daughter as he slips an arm around Sam's shoulders. When Sam's eyes meet his, they are filled with love and, surprisingly, calmness.)

"We have a week, Steve. Let's make the most of it while we can."

"I'm right there with you, Beautiful."

(Waving to the two H.P.D. Officers sitting in marked cars at the end of their driveway, Steve locks the door behind him before taking his daughter from Sam for some father/daughter time while Mommy takes a long, hot bath. As he and Emily stroll through the house, Steve looks out the window and makes note of the fact that Senior Chief Tim Newton, Matt Brandt, and two of the new kids are keeping an eye on the back of the house.)

"See, Emily? All of Daddy's friends are right where they're supposed to be so we're all safe and sound. Now, what do you think we should do tonight? Delivering you pretty much kicked your Mommy's six no matter what she says, so we need to take it easy on her. . . . Really? I like that idea. Okay, let's go make sure we have the DVD before we tell your mo. . . Uh oh, did you do a stinky? . . . Oh, yeah, you definitely did a stinky. Okay, little girl, let's go upstairs and get you cleaned-up and changed and then we'll go see Mommy, okay?"

(And it's then that Emily smiles up at her father and his heart just melts once again. Once he has Emily cleaned up and in a fresh diaper, they stroll into the master bath where Sam, her hair loosely held up with a clip and her eyes closed in sheer enjoyment while the hot water shoots through the jets onto her tired muscles, enjoys her bath.)

"What do you think, Baby Girl? Should we tell Mommy what we've decided to do this evening or should we just wait and let her find out for herself?"

"I really don't care what we do, Steve, as long as I don't have to dress up to do it."

"You don't, Beautiful. . . . Emily and I did some recon and we're good to go, and Rosa and your Mom left us enough food to feed an army for days."

"Good 'cause we _are_ going to be feeding an army, well, a SEAL team for days. Who's got first watch?"

"The Senior Chief, Matt Brandt and a couple of the baby SEALS."

"Damn. I was hoping Tony would go ahead and take the first watch so he could be home with Kono and Eric at least part of the night."

"They'll be just fine, Sam. Stop worrying about everyone else for a little while and relax. You feeling okay, Sweetheart?"

"Still sore, but it's getting better. Hand me that bath towel, please. I've been in here long enough and, if our daughter will cooperate, I think I'd like to take a nap."

"Don't worry about the baby, Sam, I've got her. You go right ahead and take a nap. I'll wake you if she gets hungry."

"No you won't. I've got Emily on a schedule, Steve, and she needs to stay on schedule. If I nurse her every time she gets fussy, I'll be nursing her all the time."

"Okay, so what am I supposed to do if she gets fussy?"

"You're kidding me."

"No, Sam, I'm not kidding. What do I do?"

"You're a smart man, Sailor. You'll figure it out. Right now, I'm going to take a nap."

(And so saying, Sam wraps herself in the fluffy bath towel, pauses only long enough to kiss both her husband and her daughter on the cheek, and heads into their bedroom where she pulls back the covers, slides into their bed, and promptly begins to nod off. Steve, still not quite sure what he's supposed to do if Emily gets fussy and Sam's napping, stares after his wife for a moment before quietly slipping from the room and heading downstairs with the baby.)


	132. Chapter 132

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 2, 2012**

(Sam awakens to find that it is late in the day and is somewhat surprised to find that she has slept for almost three hours. The house is very quiet and Sam slips out of bed, dresses quickly in a pair of shorts and a loose tank top and heads downstairs barefooted. The sight that greets her eyes as she steps into the living room makes her heart just melt. Steve is lying on one of the sofas with Emily lying on his chest with Steve's large hands are gently cradling their baby. Both of them are asleep and the contrast between Steve's huge, muscled body and Emily's tiny, dainty one is endearing and Sam runs back upstairs, grabs both her cellular phone and their digital camera and takes several pictures with both devices before quietly setting them on a side table. When she turns back toward the sofa, she finds Steve's beautiful eyes looking at her very alertly. Smiling, she quietly makes her way over to the sofa, kneels down beside it, and leans over to kiss his very sensual mouth.)

"Did you have a nice nap, Beautiful?"

"I did, Sailor, and it looks like you and Emily did, too."

"Yeah, we did. . . . Thank you, Sam."

"For?"

"This precious angel I'm holding."

"Well, you're welcome, Steve, but we were both part of bringing Emily into this world, so . . Thank you, too."

"Is it too soon to ask you to think about a brother or sister for Emily, Sam?"

(The look in Steve's eyes and the slightly pleading tone in his voice are all it takes and Sam is "putty in his hands", so to speak.)

"Oh, Steve."

"Is that a good 'oh, Steve' or a bad 'oh, Steve'?"

"It's good."

"So, you're open to the possibility?"

"Of having more children with you? Absolutely! But, I think we need to put a little space between them, Sailor. Otherwise, you're going to be changing stinky diapers and trying to figure out how to deal with fussy babies for a long, long time."

"Yeah, didn't really think that one through."

(Before either of them can say another word, little Emily starts to stir and it doesn't take long for both her parents to realize that her diaper seriously needs changing. . . Sending Steve an impish smirk, Sam quickly gets to her feet and heads into the kitchen saying she's going to start dinner for the SEALs and leaving Steve to head upstairs and change another stinky diaper. Sending a mock frown in Sam's direction, Steve starts up the stairs carrying his precious, but stinky, daughter. A small smile is playing around his mouth because, stinky diaper or not, Steve doesn't mind spending time with his baby girl . . .

Ten minutes later, Steve walks into the kitchen carrying his now awake daughter to find the SEALs helping Sam get dinner on the table. Not caring one bit whether Steve likes it or not, Senior Chief Tim Newton "scoops" little Emily from her father's arms and proceeds to cradle her in his arms so he can "show her off" to the three other SEALs. Sam giggles at the frown on Steve's face and grabs his hand while asking him to help her with the plates and silverware. Sam is still giggling as she looks from her frowning husband to the four big, bad Navy SEALs making silly faces and cooing, yes, cooing, at her daughter. Little Emily is looking up at the four large men quietly and her eyes aren't missing a thing. Although the four are trying their best to make the baby laugh, Emily is having none of it and it is _this _that changes Steve's frown to a smirk. Sam watches her husband and the SEALs acting like little boys and rolls her eyes as she sets a huge bowl of salad on the bar and turns to pull bottles of salad dressing from the fridge. The sound of her daughter's cries of hunger reach her ears and Sam quickly and gently retrieves Emily from Senior Chief Newton and excuses herself. By the time she has retrieved a blanket from the living room, settled her daughter at her breast and adjusted the blanket, and returned to the kitchen, Steve and the four SEALs are sitting around the kitchen table discussing the op. As soon as Sam sets foot in the room, Steve immediately pulls out a chair between him and Matt Brandt so Sam can sit down while Emily is having her dinner. The playful mood is gone and every, last one of them is focused. Sam listens to their conversation as she gazes down into the sweet face of her child and a fierce protectiveness fills her.)

"So there really hasn't been anything, or, more correctly, anyone to see, Boss. The Coast Guard cutter is discouraging anyone from attempting a water approach to the back of the house, and there's been no unusual activity on any other approaches to the house."

"Doesn't mean they're not out there, Senior Chief. Don't forget that these people have been dealing with terrorists and other assorted bad guys for years. They're very, very good at covert ops and you can bet your six that they're going to take every precaution."

"They can take all the precautions they want to, Boss, but they're not going to get within ten feet of you or Mrs. Boss, or that little angel of yours. "

"Steve's right, Tim; don't underestimate these people. They don't play fair and getting their revenge on me and Steve is their highest priority. "

"We know that, Ma'am, and we're not going to underestimate them, but we're not going to let them achieve their goal, either."

"Just remember, your job is to protect Emily. Steve and I can take care of ourselves. Just. . . Please, God, don't let those bastards hurt our daughter."

"Not to worry, Ma'am."


	133. Chapter 133

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 4, 2012**

(By the time Sam finishes nursing Emily, burps her, and settles her in the portable crib in the living room, Steve and the four SEALS have finished eating and are reviewing the plans for the "shift change" that is set to occur at midnight. Sam fixes herself a plate and pauses by the kitchen table before heading into the living room with her dinner.)

"I want you guys to know that Steve and I truly appreciate what you're doing for us. There's no way we'll ever be able to repay all of you."

"You don't have to, Commander. One of the main reasons we all became SEALs is to rid the world of low-life scumbags like the Kasavich family and the people who work for them. The fact that these people would even consider praying on a helpless, little baby, . . Well, let's just say that eliminating or taking these bastards into custody will be our pleasure."

"Still, you're all giving up precious time with your families for us, and. . ."

(Sam's voice breaks and there are tears welling in her eyes and she quickly sits her plate down on the table and impulsively hugs all four of the very surprised SEALs before sucking it up, straightening up her face and, using her best commanding officer's voice, to issue a parting shot as she head to the living room.)

"Carry on, gentlemen."

(Not on of the five men moves a muscle nor says a word for a few moments until Steve quietly adds his thanks to Sam's.)

"We both appreciate the sacrifices you're all making for us, and, Sam's right, we'll be forever in your debt."

"Again, Boss, getting rid of these guys is our pleasure. Besides, we all know that you and your lady would do anything for any of us or our families at any time."

"That's what family does, Senior Chief."

"Yes, Sir, it is."

(A couple of hours later, Steve is as happy and contented as he can be given the situation. Sam is curled up next to him on the sofa with her head on his shoulder and her face is relaxed in sleep while Emily is sleeping peacefully nestled on his chest. In spite of the situation in which they find themselves, Steve is quite content at the moment and he prays that he will have many, many more moments like this to enjoy. After gently waking Sam and getting both her and their daughter upstairs, and into bed, Steve sheds his clothes, slips into bed beside Sam and pulls her in the warm circle of his strong arms. The last conscious thought he has before drifting off to sleep is how very blessed he truly is. . . .

In a very expensive hotel suite in London, Irina Kasavich sips expensive wine as she gazes out at the night lights of the city. It was ridiculously easy to leave her estate and Russia without anyone knowing she was gone. Irina and one of the maids at her estate could almost pass for twins and she was able to use the woman's passport and other identity papers to leave her native country just as she has done for years. The fools with the American C.I.A. believe she is still at her home outside of St. Petersburg. Tomorrow, Irina will travel on to New York where she will enjoy a day of shopping and take in a Broadway show before flying to San Francisco. It is there where she will remain until she is ready to proceed with her plan to take Commander Steve McGarrett's wife and daughter from him. According to her people on the ground in Hawaii, Mark Andrews has several people watching the McGarrett's house, but the man himself has not surfaced – yet. Irina has no doubt that he will soon make his presence known. However, she has no intention of paying him any more money than she already has and she is certainly not going to give him the pleasure of "breaking in" Samantha McGarrett before she is sent to the Orient. Irina has already negotiated a very high price for Samantha McGarrett and she will be delivering the foolish woman to her new master shortly. As for the McGarrett's baby, Irina has decided that she will be called Katerina and has already had identity documents prepared for the child. All she needs is a photograph of the infant girl and, since she will soon have the child herself, that will not be a problem. Once Irina has the baby, she will make sure that Mark Andrews will never cause another moment's worry to her or anyone connected to the Kasavich family. Through the infant, the Kasavich family will live on. . . .

Although he's been receiving frequent reports of the status of the McGarretts from his assets on Oahu, Mark Andrews is getting nervous. Just this afternoon, more of Irina's people were spotted on the island and he must soon make a decision as to whether or not to eliminate them before he takes the woman and the infant. Andrews doesn't, for one moment, doubt that his men can and will easily take out Irina's, but he must get the money she owes him before she becomes aware that he has the upper hand. Of one thing he is certain; neither he nor Irina can take what they want until there is a break in the security around the McGarretts, and there will be a break. When there is, everything he's waited for will be his. All he has to do is be patient for a little longer.


	134. Chapter 134

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 15, 2012 **

**A/N: I was looking back through some of my earlier stories in this series to check a couple of things and I started re-reading some of your reviews. You are all wonderful people and I am humbled by your kind words. I started writing as a way to escape the stress and pressure of everyday life. I continue to write because of all of you. Your words of praise and encouragement mean so much to me and I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for reading and reviewing my work! Michelle**

(For the next few days, the McGarrett's remain at their home simply enjoying the time they have together. Steve is continually amazed at the miracle that is his daughter and takes every opportunity to hold her, talk to her, or just simply watch his tiny child sleep. He especially loves watching Sam interact with Emily and thanks God for his wife and daughter. Sam is sometimes hard-pressed to put Emily down in her crib because her heart is so full of love for her tiny baby girl that she wants nothing more than to hold her child all the time. Sam also sends up prayers of thanksgiving for Emily and Steve and her heart simply melts when she watches Steve with the baby. Emily watches both her parents with a sweet expression on her little face and cries only when she's hungry or needs her diaper changed. Their ohana has agreed to give the new parents a couple of days with their child without visiting, but the SEALs are lunch and dinner guests at the McGarrett house and neither Sam nor Steve minds their presence one bit. Emily has an appointment with her pediatrician, Cmdr. Wallace, a week after her birth and Sam and Steve are experiencing mixed emotions. On one hand, they're going on their first outing as a family, but, on the other, they are all at a greater risk from the people working for Irina Kasavich and Mark Andrews. Danny and Chin are waiting in the Camaro at the end of the driveway and fall in behind Steve's truck and Kono and Tony are directly in front of them. The drive to the base hospital is accomplished without incident and they all breathe a sigh of relief once they've cleared the gate at the base. Once at the hospital, Sam and Steve watch with amusement as the other four adults make silly faces and talk to Emily in silly voices in an effort to make the infant smile. Cmdr. Wallace checks Emily over and lets her parents know that she is healthy and thriving and sends them on their way after another appointment is scheduled. Leaving the Naval base, the small caravan heads toward Libby's and Mike's beach house so Emily can visit with her grandparents. Steve watches Sam closely as she watches her parents and Emily and the sadness in her eyes cuts him to the core. Walking across his in-law's den to the kitchen where Sam is leaning against the breakfast bar separating the two rooms, Steve slides his arms around her waist and pulls her back against his solid chest.)

"We're going to get through this, Sam."

"I know. It's just . . . If anything happens to Emily it will _kill_ me, Steve!"

"Nothing's going to happen to Emily, Sweetheart. We've put together a really good op and we're going to get those damned people out of our lives once and for all."

"Did you give Dad our letters for Emily?"

"Yeah, right after we got here."

"Mom doesn't know about them, does she?"

"I haven't told her and I'm pretty sure Mike hasn't, either. No sense in stressing her out any more than she is already."

"I don't know if I can do this, Steve."

"Yes, you do. Sam, this is the only way we're ever going to have any kind of normal life. If we don't stop these people now, none of us will ever know any peace. . . And I'm right here, Sweetheart. We're going to do this together."

(Libby and Mike are both down on the floor on a thick, soft quilt with Emily lying between them. The baby looks from her grandmother to her grandfather as if studying each of them very closely, and finally smiles at them. Naturally, both Libby and Mike claim responsibility for their granddaughter's smile and Sam and Steve just exchange a knowing look. Mike looks a little confused when Steve hands him a diaper, baby wipes, and a changing pad and sends his son-in-law an inquisitive look. A second later, however, Mike completely understands why Steve handed him diaper changing materials. Little Miss Emily McGarrett has most definitely "pooped" in her pants and that is why she smiled and not because of anything her grandparents did. Mike starts to hand off the diaper changing duties to Libby, but she crosses her arms in front of her and looks at Mike with a steady gaze while she shakes her head. Steve has retreated to the kitchen with his wife and so it is left to Adm. Thrasher to change Emily's diaper; something he hasn't done since Caroline was a baby. The man's a SEAL, though, and he's faced danger too many times to count. He'll be damned if he's going to let one, teensy, tiny baby get the better of him. He quickly unfolds both the changing pad and diaper, opens the baby wipes and makes sure he has one ready, and speaks soothingly to his granddaughter while pulling apart the tabs on her diaper. The expression on his face is one of a soldier girding himself for battle as he begins to pull the diaper away from the baby's bottom, but quickly changes to one of a man facing a mortal enemy when he does some recon and discovers exactly what kind of "bomb" little Emily has dropped, so to speak. Bravely, Mike quickly executes his mission in record time. When he has a clean diaper on Emily and Sam has retrieved and disposed of the offensive-smelling dirty diaper, Mike picks his tiny granddaughter up and cuddles her against his shoulder as he sends an accusatory glance at her parents.)

"This precious little girl is definitely your daughter. Neither of you do anything half way and neither does she."


	135. Chapter 135

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 15, 2012 **

(Danny and Chin are keeping an eye on the outside of the Thrasher's house while Kono and Tony head home to collect their son and Rosa before returning to the Thrasher's for dinner. Caroline and Lana are going to meet everyone there when Caroline leaves the base and Lana leaves the hospital, and the SEALs, after having spent some time with their families for the day, are going to set-up surveillance outside Libby's and Mike's house while the family has dinner and then follow Sam, Steve, and Emily home so the Williams', the Montgomery's and the Kelly's can head back to their respective homes for the night. Rosa is going to remain at the Thrasher's. Sam and Libby start preparing dinner while Steve and Mike, with Emily asleep on his shoulder, watch a baseball game in the den. Libby is well aware that Sam is upset, although she hasn't said a word, and Libby walks over to where Sam mixing salad dressing and pats her arm.)

"It's perfectly all right if you want to go ahead and have a good cry, you know."

"I'm fine, Mom."

"Samantha, you are most certainly _not_ fine! You've been through more frightening situations during your pregnancy than most people experience in a lifetime, you were held hostage just before you delivered Emily, you went through the pain and stress of labor and delivery without any anesthesia, you just had that precious baby a week ago and your hormones are in an uproar and not one but two different people are trying to destroy your family! You cannot possibly be 'fine'!"

(Libby, as usual, has hit the nail squarely on the head, and Sam totally loses what little control she had on her emotions. Flinging herself into her mother's arms, Sam sobs uncontrollably as Libby hugs her tightly and murmurs words meant to comfort.)

"I ju. . just wan. . want to be . . wi. . with my husb. . husband and baby and be. . .le. . .left alone!"

"I know, Sweetheart, I know, and you will be. This is all going to be over soon, and you and Steve won't have to worry about those horrible people hurting either of you or your baby. I know this is hard on you, Sam; on you and Steve both, but we're here for you. We're going to get through this together, just like we always do."

"I wi. . wish I was as sur. . .sure about that as yo. . you are, Mom."

"You're just feeling a little overwhelmed right now, Sam. Everything's going to be all right. We have a plan and it's going to work, and as soon as those nasty people have been disposed of everything's going to be back to normal. . . Well, now that Emily's here, you and Steve are going to have to learn a 'new normal', but everything's going to be just fine."

(Steve and Mike have been aware of Sam's meltdown in the kitchen but, being the smart men they are, they stay in the den and allow their wives to have some mother/daughter time. Emily, however, begins to stir on her Grandpa's shoulder and announces that she wants her Mommy by crying loudly enough to get Sam's attention. Taking her daughter from her father, Sam takes the baby blanket Steve has pulled from Emily's diaper bag and throws it over her shoulder as she settles herself on sofa next to her husband, and proceeds to nurse her baby. Steve slides an arm around Sam's shoulders and smiles as Emily grasps his finger with her tiny hand. Watching Sam nurse their child is something that never fails to touch Steve deeply and he's perfectly content to sit right there on his in-law's sofa all night long with his wife and daughter. Sam has just finished nursing Emily when her sister flies through the door and spies the baby.)

"Give me my niece! It's been an entire week since I've seen her and we need to get better acquainted. . . Hello you sweet, little thing! I swear, Emily, you are more beautiful every time I see you. Have your Mommy and Daddy been taking good care of you, Angel? If they haven't, you just tell your Aunt Caroline and I'll take care of it. Actually, your Mommy and Daddy don't know this yet, but you're going to come over and spend the night with Uncle Danny and me very soon."

(And Caroline continues to talk to the baby as, not missing a word, she has determined that Emily is wet, picked up the diaper bag, and headed toward the bedroom Libby and Mike have set aside for Emily to change her. Steve stares after his sister-in-law with a look akin to awe on his face.)

"Wow, she hasn't taken a breath yet. Impressive."

"It wasn't so impressive when the girls were fifteen. Thought they were going to drive Libby crazy with their non-stop chattering."

"Now, Mike, you know good and well it was _you_ the girls nearly drove crazy when they were fifteen; especially when that Commander with the sixteen year old identical twin boys moved in two houses down from us."

"I remember them. They took Caroline and me to the movies one night and, when we came out of the theater, their Mom's car had a flat tire. Then we discovered there was no spare."

(Caroline re-enters the room carrying Emily and picks up where Sam left off with the story.)

"Mom and Dad and the Commander and his wife were at a dinner at the base, remember? Lots of Senators and Representatives to shake hands with so none of them had their cellular phones turned on."

"Yeah, so then we tried to figure out how we were going to get home by curfew and we ended up calling Master Chief Kawalski and he came and got us."

"And he yelled at those poor boys all the way home about always making sure they had all of their equipment in working order _before_ initiating an op."

"He scared them so badly they wouldn't even speak to us for a month!"

(Sam and Caroline have gotten caught up in the story and Libby is smiling because Caroline has accomplished something she could not; Sam is not only smiling, but actually laughing out loud.)

"Who is Master Chief Kawalski?"

"He was the senior enlisted member of my last SEAL team, Steve. There wasn't anything the Master Chief couldn't do, couldn't fix, couldn't scrounge up . . . Best team member I ever had."

"So where is he now, Mike?"

"He and his wife live in Wisconsin. They retired there to be close to their son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren."

"And the twins?"

"You mean the traitors?"

"Caroline!"

"She's right, Mom. They went to the Air Force Academy."

(And Libby just shakes her head as all four Naval Officers in the room echo Caroline's name for the twins in unison.)

"Traitors!"


	136. Chapter 136

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 19, 2012 **

(The next several days follow much the same pattern with Sam and Steve either taking Emily to the Thrasher's or Caroline's and Danny's, or Kono's and Tony's or Lana's and Chin's for visits or the others spend time at the McGarrett's. Sam even ventures out to the grocery store a couple of times, but, every time any of them leave the house, there are at least two people with and/or watching them, and there is constant surveillance on their house. During this time, absolutely nothing unusual happens, no threats are received, and it's almost as if the threat to the McGarrett's never existed. They all know, however, that the threat is very real and decide that it's time to initiate the op to get rid of the Kasavich family and everyone who works for them once and for all. The night before they put their plan into action, Sam puts Emily down in the nursery and watches her precious child sleep; Emily's tiny thumb lodged firmly in her little mouth. Steve leans in the doorway between the two rooms with his arms folded over his chest and watches his wife watch their daughter. He knows Sam's heart is breaking at the thought of what's about to happen and wishes he had the power to take away Sam's pain. The only way to get their lives back to normal, however, is to make the bad guys come after them and then spring their trap. Sighing heavily, Steve walks up behind Sam, slips his arms around her, once again, slim waist, and pulls her back against his solid form as silent tears slowly slide down her face. Softly kissing her temple, Steve tries to offer her some words of encouragement.)

"I know this is hard, Sam, but it's the only way."

"I know. I just. . . I can't stand the thought of any of those people getting their hands on Emily, Steve! We cannot allow that to happen; no matter what!"

"They're not going to get anywhere near her, Sam. I promise you that."

"I've been thinking, Steve. I know you asked Dad not to mention our letters to Mom, but I think I'm going to tell her. I want her to kn. . . I want her to know about some of the things we've discussed regarding Emily's upbringing."

"You really think that's a good idea, Beautiful?"

"I need to talk to her, Steve. If anything happens to us, I need to know that both my parents are on the same page we're on where Emily is concerned. It'll be one less thing distracting me from the op."

"Then, by all means, talk to Libby. Emily needs for both of us to have our heads in the game on this one, Sam. _**I**_ need to know you're completely focused on getting this done 'cause Emily isn't the only one who needs you."

"Right back at 'ya, Sailor."

"Come to bed, Sweetheart. We both need to be well-rested for what's coming, and you're only going to get a couple of hours' sleep before you'll have to nurse the baby."

"I go right back to sleep after I nurse her and you know it, Steve."

"Usually, but we initiate this op tomorrow and you're really keyed up. We both need to get some sleep if we're going to pull this off."

"I know. . . I just can't stop myself from thinking this might be the last time we get to watch her like this."

"Sam."

"What? It's a distinct possibility, Steve, and you're only kidding yourself if you think otherwise. There's a damned good chance one or both of us won't make it through this op!"

"There's a damned good chance we will, Sam! What happened to that 'nerves of steel', 'failure is not an option' Navy Commander I married?"

"She became a mother."

(And there really isn't anything Steve can say to that because he understands exactly what Sam means. He doesn't doubt for a second that Sam would die for Emily just as would he; he just prays that it doesn't come to that. He finally convinces Sam to go to bed and pulls her close after sliding into their bed beside her. Sam finally drifts off to sleep, snuggled as close to Steve as she can get, and he soon follows. . . .

At 0730 the following morning, the SEALs who watched the McGarrett's house during the night join Sam and Steve for one, final breakfast before they leave the property and the op to trap the bad guys begin. Although they all try to establish and maintain positive attitudes while they're eating, they all know just how serious, and dangerous, the plan they're about to put into action really is, _and_, depending on how it all plays out, the SEALs may not be able to participate at all. Sam is holding Emily as the SEALs start to leave, and each and every one of them stops to give her a kiss on the cheek and a look of encouragement. Senior Chief Tim Newton takes little Emily from her mother and holds her for just a moment. He is struck by how much the infant resembles both her parents and by the look of, well, trust and confidence that the baby has on her little face. He finally hands Emily back to Sam, shakes Steve's hand, and pats Sam's shoulder. He is rather surprised when Sam throws her free arm around his neck and hugs him tightly for a few seconds. It's obvious that she's working hard to control her emotions and the Senior Chief offers her some encouragement.)

"This will all be over before you know it, Commander, and everything's going to be just fine."

"I sincerely hope your right. I'm not sure how much more I can take."

"You're one of the strongest people I know, Commander, and I have no doubt that, between you and the Boss, these people will wish they'd never heard of either one of you."

"I hope so, Senior Chief, and. . . Thank you. You're a good friend to us both."

"You're welcome, Ma'am."

(Once the SEALs are gone, Steve and Sam head upstairs and get ready to take Emily over to Libby's and Mike's for a visit. This time, however, they won't have anyone following them to the Thrasher's, no one will be guarding the Thrasher's house, and, when they return home, the McGarrett's house will be completely unguarded, as well. They will be completely vulnerable to any attacks that the men working for either Irina Kasavich or Mark Andrews wish to launch against them, and, should that happen, they will be more or less on their own.)


	137. Chapter 137

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 29, 2012 **

(Libby, Mike, and Rosa are all three very upbeat and cheerful when Sam and Steve arrive with little Emily, and Steve immediately knows that his in-laws and Rosa have planned their own "op-within-an-op" and are determined to make sure Sam stays upbeat and positive. Sam, however, has an op of her own planned and asks her mother to join her in Libby's and Mike's bedroom for a little mother/daughter chat. Libby sends a questioning glance at her son-in-law and Steve gives her a quick, one-armed hug and whispers, "just go with it, Libby" in her ear before giving her a gentle nudge in Sam's direction. The two women disappear down the hallway and Mike takes Emily from Steve's arms and, once he has his granddaughter settled comfortably, sends a stern glance toward Emily's Daddy.)

"All right, Son, you want to tell me what that's all about?"

"Sam's going to tell Libby about our letters."

"Has she lost her mind? Libby will have a fit!"

"It's important to Sam that Libby knows about the letters, or, more importantly, what's in them, Mike. And don't sell either one of our wives short; Libby's going to be okay with this."

"And just how do you know that, Steve?"

"Because Libby's a mother and she'll understand just how important it is to Sam to know that _both_ of you are aware of our wishes regarding Emily should anything happen to us."

(Startled by the depth of both Sam's and Steve's assessment of the situation, Mike doesn't quite know what to say. There really isn't anything he _can_ say because his son-in-law's logic is flawless. Glancing down at his granddaughter, Mike's frown instantly changes into a smile as he finds that Emily is awake and studying him intently. Totally forgetting Steve, Mike walks over to sit down on the sofa and have a little chat of his own with Emily. Steve heads into the kitchen and starts picking up the lids on the pots that are simmering on the stove and sending an enticing aroma throughout the house. Rosa lightly raps his knuckles with a wooden spoon to get his attention,)

"Oww!"

"I could have hit your hand a lot harder, Senor Steve. If you want to know what I'm cooking just ask. When the lid is off the pot too long, it ruins what is cooking."

"Okay, then, what are you cooking, Rosa?"

(Sam closes the door to her parents' bedroom once Libby has entered the room and had a seat on the end of the bed and then sits down and takes her mother's hands in hers. Libby is quite mystified and peers closely at her daughter.)

"Goodness, Sam, what is this all about?

"I wanted to talk to you, Mom, to let you know that both Steve and I have written letters to Emily, and one to you and Dad, as well. Dad has all three of them. I'm not telling you this to upset you, but it's very important to us that you and Dad know what our wishes are concerning Emily's upbringing should anything happen to us. I'm also telling you this because _I_ need to have my head in the game on this op and I can't do that if I'm worried about what's going to happen to our daughter if . . ."

"Sam, Sweetheart, I already knew that Steve had given your father your letters. Do you think I've spent all these years being a Navy wife and learned nothing? I would have been shocked if you and Steve had not written letters for Emily. After all, you're both Navy to the core. Now, as to that precious granddaughter of mine, you and Steve are going to come through this just fine, but"

"Mom."

"But, your father and I will do whatever it is you and Steve want us to regarding Emily's upbringing."

"If anything happens to me and Steve . . . Just bring her up the way you did Caroline and me, Mom. The two of us turned out more or less okay."

"I'd say the two of you turned out to be exceptional women and I couldn't love either of you any more if I tried. I know that you and Steve are taking a big risk with this op you've planned, but you're both exceptionally good at what you do, you both have nerves of steel and you don't back down, and, this time, you both have an additional reason to accomplish your mission; Emily. And you _will_ be successful, Sam, and, once you have all those nasty people safely locked away, you and Steve and Emily will have your lives back."

(Libby's calm, matter-of-fact attitude reassures Sam just as Libby intended it should and she hugs her daughter just as fiercely as Sam hugs her mother for a few moments. When they pull apart, Libby smiles lovingly at Sam and the two women stand up to leave the room and rejoin their family.)

"Thanks, Mom. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that our daughter will always be loved and taken care of if her father and I aren't here to do it ourselves."

"You're welcome, Sweetheart. Now, let's go see that precious granddaughter of mine."

(Mark Andrews sits back in his very comfortable chair in the salon of his yacht and allows a slow smile to spread across his face. One of the people working for him has just informed him that all means of protection have been pulled from the McGarrett family, and Andrews realizes that it won't be long now before he has everything he wants. Telling the man to wait another twenty-four hours before following his previous instructions, Andrews pours himself another glass of excellent Scotch. . . .

Irina Kasavich has also received the report of the McGarretts being on their own and she issues instructions of her own. Very soon now, she will exact revenge on the two people who have managed to nearly destroy her family.)


	138. Chapter 138

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 8, 2012 **

**Hello, everyone. Sorry I haven't updated before this, but it's softball season. If I'm not playing, I'm watching my girls play so we practically live at the softball field this time of year. Just walked in the door from a game and it's 11:38 p.m. but I'm going to do my best to finish this chapter for all of you. I truly appreciate each and every one of my readers and want to thank you for sticking with me. You guys are totally awesome! Michelle**

(Sam and Steve spend the day at Libby's and Mike's and, with Rosa there to handle the cooking for lunch and dinner, Emily's parents and grandparents are all four free to spend the entire day playing with her and talking when she's sleeping. Steve invoked a "rule" when Sam and Libby came out of the Thrasher's bedroom that no one was allowed to say anything else about the situation or the op for the rest of their visit in the hopes that they could all put it out of their minds for just a little while and enjoy the baby. It's almost five-thirty in the afternoon and Steve and Sam are lying on the floor on a comfortable quilt with a few pillows while they watch a ballgame on the Thrasher's flat screen television and little Emily is peacefully sleeping on the light blue tee shirt covering her Daddy's muscled chest. Sam has cuddled up close to Steve and they are both sleeping along with their daughter. Mike looks at the scene before him and he is torn. Part of him wants to simply sit back with his arm around his wife and bask in the atmosphere of love and family that permeates the very air but another part of him wants to find and destroy the people who are threatening his family. The scene before him is _so_ very precious and he fervently hopes to have many opportunities to see not only Sam, Steve, and Emily together like this, but Caroline, Danny, and their babies, along with Grace, as well. None of that is going to happen, however, until Mark Andrews, Irina Kasavich, and all those working for them are either in jail or dead. Mike knows that the op they've put together is a damned good one but will it be good enough? Libby, who had gone into the kitchen to get herself a glass of tea, returns to the room to find the children cuddled together on the floor asleep and her husband gazing worriedly in their direction. Quietly moving to sit next to the love of her life, Libby takes Mike's large hand into both of her small ones and offers him a smile.)

"Everything is going to be just fine, Mike. All those nasty people who want to hurt our children are going to get exactly what they deserve and then we can put all of this behind us and get on with our lives."

"I know that, Libby."

"Then why do you have that expression on your face?"

"Something could go wrong, Libby; we could lose one or both of them."

"Now, Mike. ."

"Damn it, Libby, I don't want our granddaughter to lose her parents! I don't want to lose my daughter!"

(And then something extraordinary happens . . . Not only do tears appear in Mike Thrasher's eyes, but one or two escapes to slowly side down his face before he swipes them away with a shaking hand. Libby is stunned and can only stare at her husband.)

"I don't want to lose another child, Libby! Honestly to God, I don't think I can live through it again."

(And it is then that Libby truly understands just exactly what pain, heartache, and grief her husband went through with every miscarriage she suffered. Of course, she knew that Mike was truly hurt and grieved the loss of those four babies just as she did, but . . . Dear God, how could she have been so blind to the depth of Mike's suffering? How could she have been so selfish as to allow him to comfort her; hold her in his strong arms and tell her everything would be all right while keeping his own pain locked inside? She searches his eyes, sees the fear and uncertainty lurking there, and slips to her knees in front of him while tightening her grip on his hand; her own eyes filling with tears.)

"All these years you've been there for me whenever I've needed you and I've never once been there for you. I've always known that, no matter what, I didn't have to face any adversity alone for you were there to take care of me. You've held me and given me your strength, and what I have I done for you? Nothing except take the comfort you offered. Oh, Sweetheart, please forgive me!"

"There's nothing to forgive, Libby. Of course, I was there for you and I'll always be there for you as long as I have breath in my body. I _love_ you. . . You _have_ been there for me, too. Whenever we've faced loss in our lives, being able to hold you and comfort you has helped me get through the hard times."

"But, Mike. . ."

"Isn't that what marriage is all about, Libby? Sharing the bad times as well as the good? Loving one another no matter what? Taking care of one another? You're my best friend and you always will be. I overheard Steve tell Sam once that he truly believed that they were created specifically for each other. . That's how I feel about you, my love; I honestly believe that the good Lord put you on this Earth to be my wife. I can't begin to imagine my life without you, and I pray to God I never have to. You've given me so much love and joy, Libby. Don't ever, for even one second, believe otherwise. Without you, I am nothing."

"Oh, Mike."

(But he doesn't allow her to say another word because he grabs her upper arms and pulls her up and into his arms as he stands up and kisses her deeply, movingly. . . Steve, who has been awake since Libby first asked Mike why he looked so worried, tightens his hold on little Emily and pulls Sam's sleeping form closer to him all the while praying that they all get through the dire situation in which they now find themselves with as little pain and difficulty as possible. . .

Several minutes later, Rosa walks into the room to announce that dinner is ready and finds the McGarretts asleep on the floor and the Thrashers cuddled up on the sofa talking quietly with one another, the ballgame forgotten. Mike spies Rosa as she enters the room and he stands and pulls Libby up and off the sofa and sends her to their bedroom to straighten up her tear-stained face knowing that their daughter will immediately want to know why her mother was crying and neither Sam nor Libby needs anymore more drama right now. Steve quietly wakes Sam and she takes the baby to nurse her while Steve folds the quilt on which they were lying and puts it and the pillows they used back in the linen closet. By the time Libby rejoins the rest of her family, Emily has been fed, burped, and had her diaper changed and they all sit down to dinner. The McGarrett's head home just as it begins to get dark and Sam hugs both her parents fiercely before heading out the door. As soon as they arrive at their house, Sam puts the baby down in her crib and then joins Steve in their bed where he pulls her close and holds her tightly as they both drift off to sleep.)


	139. Chapter 139

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 9, 2012 **

(In an effort to take his wife's mind off of what's going on with her sister, brother-in-law, and niece, Danny has taken Caroline out to a very nice restaurant for dinner and has deliberately brought up every topic of conversation he could think of that had nothing to do with bad buys or the situation with the McGarrett's. After they've gotten home and he's carrying two glasses of wine out to their back deck where Caroline is sitting on the loveseat staring up stars dotting the velvety darkness of the night sky, Danny is silently congratulating himself on a job well done . . . Until he hands his wife her wine, sits down beside her, and takes a good look at the expression on her beautiful face. Caroline's lower lip is trembling slightly and it is obvious that she's exerting quite a bit of effort to keep from crying. Assuming that she's worried about Sam, Steve, and Emily, Danny takes her hand in his and tries to comfort her.)

"Hey, they're going to be all right, you know. We're going to make sure that Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich never have the opportunity to hurt Sam or Steve or little Emily."

"I know that, Danny, but capturing these people isn't exactly going to be easy and there's a strong possibility that Sam or Steve or both of them could be seriously hurt or . . killed. I cannot lose my sister and Emily does not need to lose her mother or her father."

"Caroline, Sweetheart, I promise you that we're going to do everything humanly possible to make sure that doesn't happen and you know that Sam and Steve are both going to make sure they get through this without a scratch so they can be there for their daughter."

"I know they're going to try. God, I can't imagine what they must be going through; this has got to be killing them both. I just hope they can keep their heads on straight."

"They're both strong people and I'm pretty damned sure they know just how important it is for them to focus on the op."

"You're right, Danny. I don't know what I was thinking. I mean, this _is_ Sam and Steve we're talking about. I don't think I've every known two such strong, determined, _stubborn_ people in my whole life. The bad guys don't stand a chance."

"There you go. . . Now, feel better?"

"Yes, but . . ."

"No 'buts', Caroline. You've got to have a little faith in Sam and Steve; in all of us. We've all been through some pretty rough situations, but we've come through them with flying colors before and we'll do it this time, too."

"I just wish those damned people would go the Hell away and leave Sam and Steve alone. Leave all of us alone."

"I know, and we're going to make sure they do leave us all alone as quickly as possible."

"I know you are; it just can't happen soon enough for me. . . Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking . . When the bad guys are taken care of and Emily is a little older, would you be okay with offering to take her for a weekend? I was thinking that Sam and Steve might like to have a couple of days to themselves and it would give us a chance to get to know our niece a little better."

"I'd love to have Emily for a weekend, Caroline, but I think you're going to have a fight on your hands if you make that suggestion any time soon. Something tells me that Sam and Steve aren't going to be in any hurry to get away for even a couple of days once the threat to their family is eliminated, and Sam probably won't want to get too far from Emily for any length of time while she's nursing."

"I know, but they _will_ want to get away eventually, even it it's just overnight. I just want to let them know we'll take the baby when they're ready; otherwise, Mom and Dad will volunteer so fast we won't have a chance to say a word."

"Yeah, you're probably right, Gorgeous. Just wait a little while before you throw the offer on the table, okay?"

"Absolutely, Romeo."

"Feel better now?"

"Yeah."

(But Caroline's eyes are still somewhat haunted and Danny, smart man and brilliant detective that he is, is fairly certain he knows why.)

"It'll happen, Caroline. We just have to be patient."

"You . . You know?"

"Of course, I know."

"But . . . How?"

"Honey, did you honestly think I _wouldn't_ know? I do manage to notice things every now and then."

"I know you do, Danny, it's just . . . I'm ashamed to admit that I've been so distracted by this thing with Sam and Steve that I sort of lost track of things, and I didn't realize that . . ."

"That you were a week or so late and, when you did, you got your hopes up only to be disappointed?"

"You really did notice, didn't you? Are . . Are you upset?"

"That you're not pregnant? How am I supposed to answer that, Caroline? If I say 'no', then you'll get upset because you'll think, mistakenly, may I add, that I don't want to have a baby with you. If I say 'yes', then you'll get upset because you'll think, again, mistakenly, that I'm upset with _you_. I would love to have a baby with you, Gorgeous, but I don't think we need to have a specific time frame in which to get pregnant. You were probably late because you've been so worried about Sam and Steve and Emily. Once that situation's squared away, you'll be able to relax and nature will take its course."

"Wow, Danny, I think I'm going to have to smack Steve the next time he calls you a moron."

"Why, because I understand how stress can affect a woman's ability to conceive?"

"No, because you're not in the Navy and you actually used the term 'squared away' correctly."


	140. Chapter 140

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 15, 2012 **

(Steve awakens around three in the morning to find Sam is not in bed with him and he slips out of bed and walks into the nursery. Sam is sitting in the rocking chair staring at Emily's crib while she clutches a stuffed panda bear tightly. There are no tears in her eyes and no sign that she's been crying, but Steve knows she's hurting terribly. Walking over, he kneels down in front of the chair and takes one of her hands in his, sighing heavily.)

"Sam, Sweetheart, you can't sit in here all night. Emily and I need for you to be on your best game right now, and you can't do that if you're exhausted. Come back to bed, Baby, please."

"I can't sleep, Steve. Every time I close my eyes, I see that bastard, Mark Andrews, holding our baby and laughing at me."

"Mark Andrews isn't going to get anywhere near our baby, Sam. I promise you that. . .Come on, Sweetheart, let's go back to bed."

(Sam glances from her husband's face to her daughter's crib one more time and then allows Steve to take her hand, pull her up from the rocking chair, and lead her back into their bedroom. Sam turns on her side facing the door to the nursery and Steve slips into bed and pulls her into his strong arms. Finally, worry and exhaustion overtake her and Sam drifts off to sleep, the last thing in her line of vision being Emily's panda bear which is now sitting on Sam's bedside table. . . .

Several days pass in which Sam and Steve go about their normal routines and Steve returns to the office. Sam spends her time either at home or at her parents', she has a doctor's appointment with her obstetrician, and she, Libby, and Caroline even go shopping for a couple of hours late one afternoon. Steve and Danny hang out at the Thrasher's with Mike while their wives are shopping and the three men do their best to try and act normally. A ballgame is on the television in the Thrasher's den, but not one of them is paying it the least bit of attention. Mike is sitting in his recliner with a thoughtful expression on his face, Steve is sprawled on the sofa with a smile on his, and Danny is sitting on a quilt on the floor playing with Emily while his father-in-law and brother-in-law look on. Emily is studying her uncle with the same curiosity she exhibits with everyone else but her tiny hand also has a firm grasp on Danny's finger; something she's only done with her father so far. Danny, of course, is delighted beyond words but Steve's smile turns to a frown when he realizes his daughter is sharing something with Danny, of all people, that she's only shared with him. In spite of himself, Mike cannot help but smile and settles back waiting for another of the famous fights his sons-in-law seem to live for to begin. Sure enough, Danny fires the first volley.)

"Hey, Pineapple Boy, my niece seems to like holding my hand as much as she likes holding yours."

"She's a newborn, you Moron! She doesn't really know what she's doing!"

"Oh, yeah? Who else does she hold hands with?"

"Her panda bear, her mother, and anything else within two inches of her reach!"

"So, when she holds _your_ hand, she really doesn't know what she's doing either."

"Of course she knows what she's doing! Emily knows I'm her Daddy."

"Thought she was a newborn and didn't know who anybody was."

(Instead of answering Danny, Steve makes a noise much like someone being strangled might make.)

"See that, Emily? That's your Daddy's 'aneurysm face'. He gets it when Uncle Danny gets the better of him which happens most of the time."

"Danny."

"Your Daddy usually says or does things before he thinks them through, and that usually gets him into a lot of trouble; mostly with your Mommy."

"Danny!"

"I know, little girl, 'bad Daddy, bad, _bad_ Daddy!' Now you're Uncle Danny, on the other hand, always thinks before he says or does something that's going to pi . . . make someone mad.

"_Danny!_"

"What, Steven?"

"Are you actually going to sit there and berate me in front of my daughter?"

"She's a newborn, Pineapple Boy. She doesn't really understand a word I'm saying."

(And Mike can hold his laughter in no longer because Steve looks like he's about to explode as Danny calmly throws a paraphrased version of his own words back at him while cuddling little Emily. This is the scene that Sam, Caroline, and Libby walk in on and the three women try very hard to keep from laughing along with Mike. Danny is calmly sitting on the floor playing with the baby, Steve is sitting on the sofa looking like he wants to tear Danny apart limb by limb, and Mike is laughing so hard he's wiping his eyes. Libby loses the battle when Sam and Caroline stand in front of their husbands with their arms crossed in front of them and demand to know what Steve and Danny said and/or did to each other. Neither Steve nor Danny will say a word and Sam, needing to nurse Emily as much as her daughter needs to be nursed, plucks her infant from her uncle's arms and plops down on the opposite end of the sofa from her darkly frowning husband and throws a blanket over her shoulder. Caroline just shakes her head at both of the younger men and heads into the kitchen mumbling about stubborn, hard-headed men. . . Glancing heavenward in a gesture that indicates he's seeking guidance, Steve shoots a last, angry glare in his brother-in-law's direction before moving to the end of the sofa where his wife is nursing their daughter. Slipping an arm around Sam's shoulders, Steve's anger is immediately replaced by thankfulness and love as he watches his daughter nurse. . . .

After dinner, during which everyone behaves themselves, the McGarretts say goodnight and head home. Sam's figure returned to its pre-pregnancy state within a few days of Emily's birth and Steve has wanted his wife badly every single minute of every single day but has been well aware of the fact that they can't make love until her body has healed from giving birth. When Sam enters their bedroom from the master bath wearing a black, lacy gown and a seductive expression, Steve is momentarily paralyzed by the vision before him. His pulse rate kicks up a few notches, his breathing becomes shallow, and he finds he is unable to utter more than one word.)

"Sam?"

"It's okay, Sailor; Lt. Cmdr. Denning gave me the 'all clear' this morning."

"Really?"

"Really. . . .Steve?. . .You .. You don't want to make love?"

"God, Sam, of course, I do! I just . . . Are you sure this is what you want, Sweetheart?"

"When have I ever _not_ wanted to make love with you, Steve?"

"We're pretending that everything is perfectly normal when we both know it's not, Sam, and it's not a question of _if_ the Kasavich family is going to make a move but _when_. I know that's been on your mind all this time and I don't want you to feel you have to do this for me."

"I want this for both of us! For God's sake, make love to me, Steve; now, because I'm going insane from wanting you!"


	141. Chapter 141

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 15, 2012 **

**Author's Note: I thought you all might like a Sam and Steve chapter, since it's been a while. Enjoy! Michelle**

(Steve hears the truth in Sam's pleading tone, crosses to her in two strides and yanks her into his strong arms while his mouth fuses to hers. Sam's arms slide around his neck and she moans softly when one of his hands molds itself to her bottom and presses her close to the solidness of his body. She can feel the proof of his desire for her pressing against her stomach and her knees nearly give way in anticipation of what's to come. Steve rips his mouth from hers and trails hot, wet kisses from her mouth down her jaw line and her slender throat until he reaches the "sweet spot" at her collarbone and gently bites down. A gasp escapes Sam and a shiver runs through her body as he laves the spot he just bit with his tongue. Sweeping an arm under his wife's knees, Steve lifts her off her feet and carries her two steps to their bed where he carefully lays her down and covers her lace-clad body with his, wedging himself between her silky thighs. Sam's hands are roaming all over Steve's broad, muscled back and shoulders and she has never been more desperate for him since she's known him. One of her hands finds its way into his briefs and her cool, slender fingers close around the rock-hard, silken steel of his erection eliciting a low moan of sheer need from Steve. Sam's already bountiful breasts are slightly fuller due to her nursing and Steve none-too-carefully pulls the black lace gown from Sam's body and his mouth latches onto first one of her nipples and then the other and his teeth scrape and bite the tender flesh causing her to answer his lust-filled moan with one of her own. Sam didn't realize how very much she missed this intimacy with her husband until this very moment, and she begs him to take her between pleasure-filled gasps. But Steve, too, has waited a long time to make love to Sam again, and he isn't about to rush things. Lifting his head to smile wickedly up into Sam's passion-glazed, heavy-lidded eyes, he grasps both her wrists firmly in one of his hands above her head and oh so slowly moves down her body trailing hot, wet kisses until he reaches her feminine core. Sam is panting and whimpering now Steve knows he has her right where he wants her. The first touch of his mouth on her nearly sends her completely off the bed and it is only Steve's free hand firmly holding her hip to the mattress that keeps her still for his sensual assault. Seconds later, Steve is forced to release Sam's wrists and use both hands to hold her still because her body is thrashing wildly on the bed. He is so hard that he's in pain, but he doesn't even consider stopping what he's doing _for_ Sam to relieve the sweet agony he's in physically. Moments later, Sam is nearly screaming out his name as her first release washes over her. Steve can wait no longer and quickly moves up and over her shaking body to thrust himself all the way inside of her while she is still in the throes of passion. In that instant, he feels like he's come home and he kisses Sam hard and deeply. He begins to move ever so slowly inside of her as his mouth plunders hers; all Sam can do for a few moments is wrap her arms around her husband's broad shoulders and hold on for dear life. When she is, once again, capable of coherent thought, she moves both hands down to Steve's bottom, wraps her legs around him, and, ripping her mouth from his, begs him to stop torturing her.)

"Ple. . please, Steve. . . I ne . . need you so much!"

"I don't . . want to hurt you, Sweetheart."

"You're not! Please!"

"I love you, Sam."

(And never having been able to refuse Sam anything, Steve does exactly as she asks and increases the pace of their lovemaking until they are both panting and their bodies are slickened with their efforts. Sam's welcoming warmth spasms around him and Steve is forced to hold himself perfectly still for a minute or so until she comes down from the wave that ran through her. He drops soft kisses all over her face and neck and gently wipes the tears that have escaped her tightly closed eyes from her face with his thumbs. For just a moment, the thought of never again being able to be with Sam like this sends shards of fear straight into Steve's heart, but he forces them away and concentrates on giving his wife more pleasure than he ever has before. When her heavily-lashed eyelids lift and he can peer into the shimmering pools of emerald green, he sees all the love for him that's in Sam's heart and he silently vows that they will have many more days and nights to live and love; no one will ever harm or come between them. Sam smiles up into Steve's beautiful eyes and pulls his head down to hers for a slow, deep kiss as she moves against him to encourage him to resume their lovemaking. Minutes later, they both fall over the edge and take flight amid the brilliant stars shining in the velvety black of the night sky. When they finally return to Earth, Steve shifts off of Sam's body, pulls her into his arms and pulls the bed sheets over them both. It isn't long before they both fall asleep in each other's arms and, for the first time in a long time, they both sleep peacefully.)


	142. Chapter 142

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 15, 2012 **

(Mark Andrews pulls a "burn" phone from his pants pocket, dials a number, and sits back comfortably in his chair on the upper deck of his yacht sipping some exceptionally fine single-malt Scotch as he waits for his call to be answered. He finally has the upper hand in the game he and Irina Kasavich have been playing, and he is more than ready to end this now. When Irina answers on the third ring, a smile of cruel satisfaction crosses his face.)

"Hello?"

"Good evening, Irina."

"What do _you_ want?"

"You know what, or should I say _who_ I want."

"The woman and her child are mine, Andrews!"

"No, Irina, the woman belongs to me and me alone."

"You fool! Who do you think you are?"

"I'm the man who's going to see you in prison on death row if you don't do exactly what I tell you!"

"You flatter yourself, Mr. Andrews. There is absolutely nothing you can do to cause my demise."

"Are you sure about that, Irina? Tell me, have you heard from your two men staying at that seedy motel near the airport lately?"

(The slight hesitation on the other end of the phone causes Andrews' smile to widen, and his confidence grows.)

"What men? What hotel?"

"Come now, Irina, I know where every, single one of the eight, excuse me, _six_ men you have on the island are located; the ones that are still breathing, that is. The two who were watching the airport are now in a dumpster behind a row of abandoned warehouses on the west side of Honolulu International with enough evidence to ensure you will never know another day of freedom should the police find them before you do. If you don't believe me, send the two you have at the Royal Hawaiian to check. If I do not hear from you within an hour, the police will be notified of where to find the bodies and they will soon after be paying you a visit in your rental house in Diamondhead."

(Andrews hears the sharp gasp just before he ends the call and knows he will succeed in his plan. . . .

Irina Kasavich stares with horror at the phone in her hand for a moment before throwing it across the master bedroom of the luxurious rental house in which she is currently staying. That the house is located in an exclusive area of Diamondhead and Mark Andrews knows that, as well as the locations of four of her men, causes her pulse rate to increase. Willing herself to remain calm, Irina snatches her cellular phone from the bedside table and calls the two men staying at the Royal Hawaiian. When one of them answers, she instructs him to go immediately to the place Mark Andrews described to her and look for her other two men. After being reassured that her instructions will be carried out immediately, Irina ends the call and paces worriedly at the foot of the bed. . . .

Andrews' "burn" phone rings fifty-three minutes later and Irina's voice is filled with fury.)

"What do you want?"

"Again, you know what I want! Now, I'm not a selfish man, Irina. I'm more than willing to give you something you want, as well. I will take Samantha McGarrett and you may have her brat. When we both have what we want, we leave each other alone and go our separate ways. Agreed?"

"Not so fast, Mr. Andrews. How do I know you will keep your end of this bargain? How do you know I will keep mine?"

"We're just going to have to trust each other, Irina. Think about it . . . Steve McGarrett will lose both his wife and his child at the same time. One of them he will never see again; the other will return one day to kill him. We both get what we want and McGarrett . . McGarrett loses everything."

"Very well, Mr. Andrews. How do you wish to proceed?"

(And for the next several minutes, Mark Andrews and Irina Kasavich discuss the details of exactly how they will each get what they want. Once he is satisfied that Irina Kasavich will not be a threat to him because of the evidence he still holds which would destroy her, Andrews ends the call and heads downstairs into the master cabin to enjoy the woman who is waiting there for him. . .

Irina Kasavich shakes with anger as she thinks of the conversation she just had with Mark Andrews. Just as he said, her men from the Royal Hawaiian found the two other men dead in a dumpster exactly as Andrews said they would be. There was also a knife lying under one of the bodies and it was covered in bloody fingerprints. After one of her men took a picture of the knife with his cellular phone and sent it to another of Irina's men still in Russia, the prints were identified as Irina's! She is both furious and stunned as to how her fingerprints could have gotten on the murder weapon, but now is not the time to concern herself with that enigma. Now she must make arrangements to take the McGarretts' child and leave the island. Issuing instructions in a rapid-fire manner to her men at the house with her, she immediately begins to pack. . .

Mark Andrews looks coldly at the battered young woman cowering on the floor of the master cabin and disgust fills him. The only reason he has not yet killed her is because she played a large part in helping him gain the upper hand with Irina Kasavich and he may yet need her. Back-handing her hard enough to send her flying into the door of the cabin, Andrews literally kicks her out of his way as he heads to the main deck and issues instructions to his men. . .

The sound of his cellular phone ringing pulls Steve from a deep sleep and he quickly snags the phone from his bedside table in an effort to keep it from waking Sam.)

"McGarrett . . . Has the rest of my team been notified? . . . All right. Tell Det. Williams I will call him as soon as I'm en route."

"Steve?"

"That was H.P.D. They've got the drug dealer we've been after for a while now trapped in a house near Kahana Bay. . . I've got to go, Sam."

"Of course, you do, Steve. It'll be fine."

"No, you know what? Danny and Chin and Kono can handle this."

"Steve, you have to go. You can't allow our personal situation to interfere with your responsibilities as head of the Governor's Task Force."

"Our 'personal situation' is a pretty damned serious one, Sam. I think the Governor will understand!"

"Don't you dare let them do this, Steve! Don't you dare allow them to keep you from doing your job! If you do, they win!"

"Damn it, Sam!"

"Steve! Go. I've got my Glock and, since Tony's probably awake now, too, I'll call him and ask him to come over while you and Kono go get your bad guys, okay?"

"I don't like this, Sam, but, yeah, okay."

(Neither of them says another word for a few minutes as they are both getting dressed and then Sam follows Steve downstairs to the door with her Glock tucked into the back waistband of her jeans. Steve grabs her to him and kisses her hard and fast before getting into his truck and heading out the driveway. Sam hits Tony's speed dial as soon as she shuts and locks the front door behind Steve and waits for him to pick up. . . .)


	143. Chapter 143

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 16, 2012 **

(Steve is beyond pissed. He, Danny, Kono, and Chin have been on the scene for well over two hours waiting while H.P.D. deploys minicams into the house and does a room by room search for the suspect. The mics built into the minicams have not yet picked up any sounds inside the house, but there are three witnesses on the scene who swear that they saw the suspect go into the structure and also swear that he has not come out again. The only reason Steve hasn't already ordered them to go ahead and raid the house is that two of the witnesses have also sworn that they saw the suspect carrying what appeared to be some type of explosive into the house. Pacing between the mobile command post and his truck and running an aggravated hand through his hair, Steve listens as Sam's cellular phone rings for the third time. When her phone goes to voicemail, Steve stops dead in his tracks, turns several shades paler than normal, and is suddenly having a hard time breathing. Kono notices this immediately and heads straight for him while Danny and Chin are discussing something with one of the H.P.D. officers.)

"Steve? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Sam's not answering her phone!"

"Okay, don't panic. Let me call Tony."

(Tony answers on the second ring, but what he tells his wife after a brief conversation has her turning pale, too. By now, Danny and Chin have realized that something's wrong with Steve and walk up just as Kono ends the call with her husband and turns to Steve with a stricken expression.)

"What?"

"Sam never called Tony, Steve."

"She never. . . There's no one in this house! This was all a set-up to get me away from our house!"

"Whoa, hold up there, Buddy; you don't know that for sure."

"Yeah, Danny, I do. We all wondered when and how Mark Andrews or Irina Kasavich was going to make their move. . Well, this is it!"

(Steve has been rapidly striding toward the Camaro while he's been talking and Danny barely has time to jump into the car before Steve is accelerating onto the highway with Chin and Kono not far behind. . . .

As soon as he hung up with Kono, Tony called the next door neighbor who watches Eric sometimes and, quickly explaining there was an emergency, asked her to come over and stay with his and Kono's son until one of them can get home. The lady agreed and is knocking on the door just as Tony comes down the hallway after checking on his son. In less than eight minutes after hanging up with his wife, Tony is in his truck and en route to the McGarrett's. He places a call to Senior Chief Tim Newton on his way and soon has a couple of his SEALs on the way, as well. . . .

The Camaro flies into the driveway followed by Kono's car and the four Five-0 members are out of the vehicles and running toward the house just as Tony and Matt Brandt step out of the front door with Glocks down in a non-defensive position. Tony takes one look at the expression on Steve's pale face and desperately wishes he had better news for his former SEAL Team leader and friend. Several H.P.D. units, blue lights flashing, pull into the McGarrett's driveway as Steve stops in front of Tony and officers and forensic technicians begin to move rapidly toward the house.)

"They're gone, Steve."

(Steve feels as if someone has reached inside his chest and ripped his heart out and he struggles to breathe. Danny quickly steps up to the plate as he realizes that Steve can't; at least, at the moment.)

"Talk to us Tony."

"They're not here. No signs of a struggle; nothing. Sam's Glock is lying on the floor in the foyer."

"Okay, then, Chin, get the forensic people in there, Kono, get on your laptop and see what you can find, and _you_, my friend, sit down on the steps and put your head down between your knees before you pass out."

"I have to talk to Mike, Danny! Now!"

"Yeah, Buddy, I know you do. Hang on."

(Tony's cellular phone rings just as Danny hits the speed dial for his and Steve's father-in-law and the two young men step slightly away from Steve's seated and slumped form to take care of their phone calls. . .

At the moment, all sounds around Steve seem to fade as he follows Danny's orders and attempts to regain control of himself. Closing his eyes and concentrating on slowing his breathing to a more manageable rate, Steve begins to feel the fear and weakness fade and be replaced by a cold fury. How _dare_ anyone touch Sam! Steve's SEAL training kicks in and he feels a calm quietness settle over him once again. . . . .

While all of this has been going on, things at the Thrasher's house have been rather lively as well. Mike and Libby were awakened earlier by a couple of soft sounds from downstairs, and Mike quickly and quietly slipped out of their bedroom with his gun in his hand and went to investigate. Libby very quietly slipped into a pair of shorts and a tee shirt and crept down the hall toward the room they've converted into a nursery for their granddaughter.

Irina Kasavich is just reaching into the crib for the blanket-covered baby when she feels the cold metal of a gun against the back of her neck at the base of her skull. Instantly stopping the movement of her hand, Irina tries to turn her head slightly to see who has managed to get the better of her. A sharp jab with the gun sends the message she should not move at all, but what surprises Irina the most is the voice of the person holding the gun.)

"Did you really think you were just going to waltz in here and take Emily?"

"Mrs. Thrasher. . It would appear I have underestimated you."

"You're damn right you have, Ms. Kasavich! In case you're wondering, yes, I do know how to use this gun in my hand. In fact, the last time I was at the range, I outshot the Admiral so I would be very still if I were you."

"You may have me at a disadvantage for the moment, Mrs. Thrasher, but you and your husband are no match for my men and I have six of them in or around your house as we speak."

"And I have three United States Navy SEALs in or around my house as we speak, including my husband. Who do you think is going to win this little skirmish, Ms. Kasavich?"

(And to emphasize Libby's words, Petty Officers Joe Michaels and Nick Landry, both in black from head to toe and armed to the teeth, step into the room, and neither of them can keep grins off their faces at the sight of Adm. Thrasher's wife calmly and very competently holding a Glock on Irina Kasavich.)

"Everything's secured downstairs, Ma'am. The Admiral sent us up here to see if you needed any help."

"Thank you, dear. You may tell the Admiral that I have everything under control and that we'll be right down. Would one of you be so kind as to secure Ms. Kasavich's hands with one of those plastic thingies you boys use?

(Libby smiles at Irina Kasavich as Joe Michaels does as she asked and then Libby grabs the back of the woman's shirt and yanks her out of the chair in which she had been sitting so that she is on her feet. The surprised expression on the face of Irina Kasavich causes Nick Landry to enlighten her regarding her misconceptions about Libby Thrasher.)

"Guess you didn't know Mrs. Thrasher often works out with the Admiral at the base and she's pretty good at taking care of herself when she has to. . . She's an expert at Krav Maga so I wouldn't try anything stupid if I were you."

(As soon as they start downstairs, Irina's gaze snaps to Libby.)

"Aren't you even going to check on your granddaughter, Mrs. Thrasher? After all, how can you be sure I did nothing to harm her?"

(Libby reaches into the crib with one hand and quickly lifts the blanket-covered object for Irina to see. Shock appears on the woman's face when the blanket falls away to reveal a life-sized doll.)

"A . . A doll?"

"Yes, Ms. Kasavich, a doll. Now, let's go join your friends, shall we?"

(By the time they make it downstairs where Mike has been holding Irina's men, a security detachment from the base has arrived and are loading Irina's men into transport vehicles. Libby, however, has a few questions she'd like to ask Irina and shoves the woman down on the sofa in their den. Mike and the two other SEALs are the only other people in the room and all three men settle back and watch. Although Libby remains calm yet demanding, she is unable to get any information out of Irina Kasavich that would tell them what Mark Andrews is planning for Sam; mainly because Irina truly has no idea what Andrews has in mind. As soon as Irina and her men are on their way to the base, Mike pulls out his cellular phone and hits a speed dial.)

"Senior Chief Newton. . ."

"Senior, is my granddaughter all right?"

"Yes, Sir, Emily is just fine. My wife and Rosa have been taking turns sitting with her but she's been a little angel, Admiral."

"Good. Irina Kasavich and six of her men paid Mrs. Thrasher and me a little visit, but they're all in custody now and on their way to the base. I'm going to call Steve and let him know we've taken one of those damned people out of the equation. I think we'll let Emily and Rosa stay with you and your family a while longer if that's all right, Senior Chief."

"It's absolutely all right, Admiral. Don't worry about Emily, Sir; I'll protect her with my life."

"I know you will, Son. Hopefully, we'll be able to take care of Mark Andrews soon and Emily can go home to her Mommy and Daddy where she belongs."

(No sooner has Mike ended his call with Tim Newton than his cellular phone rings and Danny's name and number pop up on the caller I.D. Seeing his son-in-law's number at this extremely early hour of the morning causes a sense of dread to descend on Mike and he steps slightly away from his wife and the two SEALS to answer the call.)

"Danny?"

"Mike, have you talked to Tim Newton? Is Emily all right?"

"Emily's just fine, Danny, and Irina Kasavich and six of her men came to the house but they're all in custody and headed to the base as we speak."

"They what? Are you and Libby all right?"

"We're fine, Son. Now, why are you calling me at this hour of the night?"

"Sam's missing and we're pretty sure Mark Andrews has her."


	144. Chapter 144

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 17, 2012 **

(Sam slowly floats to awareness to find herself lying on a cold, hard floor in what appears to be a large, open space; perhaps a warehouse? The lighting is dim but she has no trouble seeing the bars surrounding her as she discovers she is in a cell of some sort. There doesn't appear to be anyone else around until she stands up, turns in a circle, and sees Mark Andrews, a smirk on his face, sitting in a chair just outside the cell's bars.)

"Hello, Samantha. Surprised to see me?"

"Not really. I'm just wondering what took you so long."

"Sometimes it's best not to rush things, Samantha. I wanted to give you and McGarrett time to bond with your daughter; time to form an attachment so close that it would utterly destroy both of you if you were to become separated from her permanently. And, to be perfectly honest, I wanted to make Irina Kasavich squirm and worry and wait just as I did you and your husband. I believe I have accomplished both those tasks. You're here with me now, and you will never see your husband or daughter again, your husband has lost both of you, and Irina finally has what she has wanted all along; your baby. As an added bonus, your parents are now dead, as well. Tell me, Samantha, did you really think I would be so stupid as to believe you and McGarrett would keep your baby with you? Did you forget that I am a former Secret Service agent and I well know the same tactical responses that you do? Of course, Irina had no idea that you had left your daughter with your parents days ago until I told her. You did an excellent job of convincing her that your daughter remained in your home. Too bad that all the beauty and brains that you have will eventually be destroyed. . . Once I have grown tired of having you in my bed, I'm sending you to an acquaintance of mine in Jakarta. He supplies women to very rich, very ruthless, and very cruel clients for their twisted pleasure and he's eagerly anticipating the high price you will fetch. Don't worry, by the time you are in his custody, you will be so addicted that you won't care what you have to do in order to obtain your next fix. And, when your beauty has been ruined by the beatings and your mind has been shattered by the drugs, you will gladly welcome death. If you behave now, with me, I will intercede on your behalf and ask him to kill you quickly when he has no further need of you."

(Sam's facial expression has not changed since Andrews began his delusional rant although she has become convinced that he is totally and irrevocably insane with every word he utters. The most important thing for her to do now is to remain calm and humor him so that he will not pull the trigger of the very deadly-looking gun he is holding in his right hand. The last thing Sam can remember before waking up in this cell is pulling her cellular phone from her pocket to call Tony, and the slight soreness she feels in the back of her neck is indicative of having been injected with something. Andrews has been moving all around the cell in which he has confined Sam while he's been talking and this has allowed her to take a better look at her surroundings. The cell is no more than twelve feet by twelve feet and appears to be sitting in the middle of a large, open space with an extremely high ceiling. The area resembles an aircraft hangar and the muffled sounds, distant though they may be, that she can hear lead her to believe that she is, indeed, being held captive somewhere near an airport. Sam would be willing to bet that it's a private airport and that Andrews picked this location so he would be able to board a private jet and get off the island rather quickly if it should become necessary. She realizes that Andrews has stopped speaking and turns to face him; finding a strange expression on his face. Andrews just stares at her for a few moments before approaching the bars of the cell.)

"After everything I've told you, you're very calm; too calm. Do you think that your husband is going to burst in here with his Five-0 friends and save you? No one can save you now, Samantha, and, if you don't do exactly what I tell you, I will make sure that your husband dies a very slow and painful death, and, after that, I will kill your sister, your brother-in-law, and all of your friends; including the Montgomery's son! . . . You don't believe me?"

(He angrily thrusts something through the bars of the cell and Sam's gaze moves down to the floor to a photograph. Her heart clenches when she sees the bodies of Libby and Mike Thrasher lying side by side; their throats slashed. She knows, however, that her parents were expecting an attack by either Andrews' men or those working for Irina Kasavich and she also knows that there are SEALs providing protection for her parents. The photograph has to be a fake, but fear and uncertainty gnaw at her. What if Andrews' men _**did**_ manage to get to her parents somehow? What if her mother and father really are dead? Dear God, what if Irina Kasavich really does have Emily? Sam visibly pales and her expression turns fearful as she gazes back up at a sneering Mark Andrews.)


	145. Chapter 145

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 19, 2012 **

(Danny quickly brings Mike up to speed on what's happened in regard to Sam and also gives his father-in-law a "heads up" as to Steve's condition at the moment; although, Steve seems to transform from totally devastated husband to "Super SEAL" right in front of Danny's eyes as he stands up and assumes a grim look of determination. Wordlessly, Danny hands Steve his cellular phone as Tony, having ended his call, joins them.)

"Is my daughter all right?"

"Emily's just fine, Steve. She and Rosa are going to stay at the Newton's and the Senior Chief has called in an additional SEAL team to cover the exterior of the house so we absolutely _do not _have to worry about them."

"Mike, Mark Andrews has Sam."

"Danny told me. What are you going to do, Son?"

"I'm going after my wife! . . . I'm going to need your help, Mike. I need you to get permission for my . . for _Tony's _SEAL Team to act on U.S. soil; I'm pulling them in for this op. I also need you to head over to Senior Chief Newton's and take command of the SEAL team he pulled in for additional security."

"I'm giving the SEALs permission to do whatever you need them to do on my authority. Mark Andrews is wanted in several other countries besides the U.S. and that makes him an international terrorist."

"Okay, then, call Tim Newton and tell him to get his six en route to the SEALs' building at Pearl; the rest of us are headed there now."

"Keep me in the loop on this, Commander!"

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Tony is already on his cellular phone calling in the rest of his team and Kono and Chin are giving instructions to the forensic techs at the McGarrett's house and packing up laptops. Danny, taking no chances on being left behind, is already heading to the Camaro with Steve right behind him. . .

Mike ends his call and finds his wife sliding a clip for her Glock in her pants pocket; the Glock itself is neatly tucked in the back waistband of her pants. Mike quickly instructs Petty Officers Joe Michaels and Nick Landry to head over to Pearl and has to hide a smile as both young men salute him with an "Aye, aye, Sir!" but also offer very exact and correct salutes to Libby, as well, and Nick Landry very solemnly speaks for them both.)

"It was a pleasure serving with you, Ma'am."

"The pleasure was all mine, Petty Officer. Dismissed."

"Aye, aye, Ma'am!"

"What are you looking at, Michael Thrasher? I know how to salute properly!"

"Yes, you do, Libby, and you're very good at issuing orders, too."

"Yes, I am. Now get your six into the SUV and let's get over to the Newton's. We have a granddaughter to protect!"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am."

(Danny was all prepared to give Steve a "don't you think you're a little too close to this situation to be thinking rationally?" speech before they got into the car, but decides against it because Steve is, once again, in control and functioning just fine. While he's wasting no time in getting to the naval base, he's also, much to Danny's surprise, not driving in a reckless manner. Danny can almost see the wheels turning in Steve's head and knows that he's thinking everything through before making any rash decisions. Now that Steve knows his daughter is all right, he can focus all of his energy on finding his wife and getting her back safely. Danny pulls out his cellular phone and hits the speed dial for his own wife figuring that he'd better bring her up to speed. . .

In Chin's car, Kono is in the front passenger seat with her fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop while her husband looks on from the back seat as Chin drives them to the base. A steady beeping fills the interior of the car and a blinking red dot moves steadily on the map that fills the computer's screen. Tony is tracking the moving dot with his eyes even as he hits a speed dial on his cellular phone and diverts two members of his team to the area indicated on the map. Not one of the three people in the car believes that they're going to get so lucky, but, then again, stranger things have happened in the past. The blinking red dot stops and Tony directs his SEALs to the location indicated on the map while Chin continues to drive toward the base and they all three figuratively hold their breath while they wait. . .

Caroline, having been awake since Danny got the call to meet the rest of the team, was dressed five minutes after Danny walked out the door and is now anxiously pacing in their den; her own Glock loaded and tucked into the back of her pants and her car keys in one hand and her cellular phone in the other. She answers Danny's call before the first ring is completed.)

"Tell me you got the guy and everyone's okay."

"It was a diversion, Caroline. We spent over two hours outside that house waiting for the tactical guys to give us an 'all clear' to go in and there was no one there to start with. Mark Andrews engineered the whole thing to get Steve out of the house. Caroline, we think Andrews has Sam."

"You think? Damn it, Danny, you _know_ Andrews has my sister! I knew I should have gone over there when you left! I might have been able to stop him!"

"You might have gotten yourself _killed_, Caroline!"

"Really? You know whose daughter I am, you know how much training I've had, you know how good a shot I am!"

"And I know how much you love your sister which might make you act first and think later!"

(Steve has sent a couple of dark frowns in Danny's direction as Danny's voice has gotten increasingly louder until he is yelling, and Danny, realizing that the last thing Steve needs right now is to witness an argument between him and Caroline, takes a deep breath and lowers his voice.)

"We'll find her. Caroline. Kono's working on locating the tracking chip. We're on our way to the base right now to meet the rest of Tony's SEALs and, once we've located Sam, we're going after her. The best thing you can do right now, the thing that would help _Steve_ the most right now, is to head over to Tim Newton's house and help your Mom and Dad keep an eye on Emily. . . And _I'd_ feel a lot better knowing you were there, too. Okay, Gorgeous?"

"Yeah, okay. There's still a chance that Irina Kasavich might try to take Emily."

"Uh, no, Caroline. Actually, your folks took care of Irina Kasavich and her men. They're all in custody and should be locked up in the base Brig by now."

"See, Romeo? You know who my parents are, so . . . Any more questions or concerns about my safety?"

"Come on, Caroline. I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself . . I just . . . Just call me when you get to the Newton's, please?"

"I will, Danny. . I'm sorry I flew off the handle; I'm just worried about Sam. Is Steve okay?"

"Yeah, he's good. . . I love you, Caroline."

"Love you, too, Romeo. Be careful!"

(Within a matter of minutes, Caroline arrives at the Newton's and finds her parents are already there as is a team of SEALs, most of whom Caroline knows from the base. Five of the SEALs deploy to various points outside the house while two remain inside with Beth Newton and her children, Rosa, the Thrashers, Caroline, and, of course, little Emily Anne McGarrett who is blissfully unaware of what is going on and is sleeping like a little angel. Mike is fairly certain that any threat to his granddaughter has been completely eliminated, but they're taking no chances. . .


	146. Chapter 146

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2012 **

(After shoving the photograph of her parents through the bars of the cell in which he is holding Sam, Mark Andrews stared triumphantly at her for a few moments and then disappeared. Sam sinks slowly to the floor and reaches for the photograph with shaking fingers. Slowly picking it up, she narrows her eyes slightly as she studies the picture more closely. For many long minutes, Sam pores over the picture as well as she can in the dim lighting, but cannot find any obvious signs of the picture having been faked. Cursing in frustration, Sam throws the picture away from her and wraps her arms around her drawn-up knees. A feeling of total helplessness washes over her and she feels unshed tears burn in her eyes. Lifting her head, Sam forces the tears back and stares defiantly at the security camera mounted on the wall near her cell. . .

Chin pulls into the parking lot at the SEALs' building at Pearl right behind Steve and Danny and he, Kono, and Tony exchange grim looks as they head into the building. Steve looks up expectantly when Kono slides her laptop on the top of the large table in the conference room and her gaze locks with his.)

"The GPS chip was moving until about five minutes ago, Steve. The tracking program has locked in a location down near the docks and Tony has two of his SEALs en route now. They should be there any minute."

"Good, that's good. Okay. Here's what we're going to do. Kono, Chin, I need you two to question the men working for Irina Kasavich. Danny, you and I are going to have a little talk with Irina. Tony, call my father-in-law and make sure everything's squared away at the Newton's and let me know as soon as you hear from your guys following the GPS chip. As soon as we get verification on the location, we're going after Sam."

(Steve is calm but deliberate and has gone into commanding officer mode exhibiting no sign that this op is different from any other even if the person who has been abducted is his own wife and the mother of his child. Tony is not the least bit surprised by Steve's attitude and behavior; after all, the man's a U.S. Navy SEAL and SEALs are so well-trained that they know how to hold their emotions at bay when necessary. Kono and Chin send Danny questioning looks as if to ask if Steve's really okay. Although he isn't completely convinced, he gives them a slight nod and they head down to an interrogation room to follow Steve's orders. Danny follows Steve down the hallway to the interrogation room their going to use to question Irina Kasavich but Danny asks the Security officer standing nearby to give them a few minutes before Irina is brought to the room. Steve is standing in typical Alpha male stance watching the door when Danny finally walks in and Danny mentally prepares himself for what he's about to do. Closing the door, he sits down in one of the chairs.)

"I asked them to wait a few minutes before bringing Irina in here."

"Why?"

"Because I need to know you're not going to go ballistic when she gets in here."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're doing a very good job of making everyone else think you're calm and in control, but I'm not convinced that you really are."

"We don't have time for this, Danny! My wife is out there somewhere with a man who won't hesitate to kill her!"

"Exactly, Steven. I know you have special training and are good at all this Ninja stuff, but I also know how much you love Sam and what it would do to you if anything happened to her. If you lose it now, you're not just putting your life in danger; you're putting all of us at risk _**and**_ you're risking Sam's life, as well. It's my job to make sure you're head's in the right place."

"Have you lost your mind? Do I _look_ like I'm losing it?"

"No, but looks can be deceiving."

"Damn it, Danny, I need to find my wife! We're wasting time; we need to question Irina Kasavich and find out if she knows anything about Andrews' plans!"

(Steve is frowning darkly at his brother-in-law, but Danny isn't backing down a bit. Realizing that he's going to have to do something to convince Danny that he's really in control, Steve closes his eyes for a moment and calls on his inner reserve. Moments later, Steve has taken a seat in the chair opposite Danny and the dark frown is gone from his face. Steve allows the fear he's feeling for Sam's safety to surface briefly and looks Danny squarely in the eye.)

"If anything happens to Sam . . I won't want to live, but we have a daughter who needs both her parents and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Emily has both of us for a long time. I need you to help me here, Danny. I need to find Sam and go get her. I need to hold her in my arms and know that she's all right. I need to tell her I love her more than life and hear her tell me the same thing. I need to look into her beautiful eyes and see all the love she feels for me there and I need to see her sweet smile. I've been so damned much in love with Sam since the first time I saw her that she's never, _never_ been out of my mind for a single second and she never will be for as long as I live. Please, Danny, help me find my wife."

(Steve's honest, heartfelt plea touches Danny deeply. In all the time Danny's known Steve, he's never seen his tough-as-nails brother-in-law allow so much of his true feelings to surface. What convinces Danny that Steve really does have control of himself though, are the tears that appear in Steve's eyes. Nodding once, Danny goes to the door and asks that Irina Kasavich be brought to the room immediately.)


	147. Chapter 147

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 27, 2012 **

(Three minutes later, a sullen Irina Kasavich is brought into the interview room and shoved into a chair on one side of the table by one of the Marine guards who escorted there from her cell. Although there are two chairs on the other side of the table, neither one of them are occupied as Steve and Danny are both standing in Alpha male stance, side by side, with grim yet determined expressions on their faces. Although the two men's appearance gives her pause, Irina Kasavich stares defiantly up at them with a smirk on her face. For a few minutes, no one says a word as Steve and Danny frown fiercely at the woman sitting before them and she glares back, her eyes locked on Steve. Finally, Danny begins to slowly circle around behind her while Steve steps closer to the table separating him from Irina. The woman badly wants to allow her gaze to follow Danny or look back and forth between the two men, but she knows that she must not show any sign of weakness. Danny's voice and physical presence, right by her right ear, nearly causes Irina to jump our of her seat but she manages to remain immobile . . . for the moment.)

"Where's Samantha McGarrett?"

(Nothing but silence and defiance from Irina.)

"Where is Samantha McGarrett?"

(Again, nothing but silence. Danny heaves a very melodramatic sigh.)

"I tried; I really did. I wanted to spare you from the pain and suffering of being interrogated by Super SEAL over there, but you don't want to cooperate, so . . . . "

(Danny quickly moves away from Irina as Steve goes from standing dead still, almost like a statue, to springing into action by grabbing one of the two chairs in front of him and violently flinging it across the room as if it weighed no more than a loaf of bread. Steve's sudden, violent movement and the loud sound of the chair hitting the wall and then the floor startles Irina so badly that she _does_ physically jump, turns a few shades paler, and loses her sneering expression. In fact, by the time Steve's hands have landed squarely on the table directly in front of her and his darkly frowning face is mere inches from hers, Irina Kasavich is downright scared. She sends a nervous glance in Danny's direction but finds the blonde detective calmly contemplating the ceiling of the room and paying her no attention whatsoever. Steve leans even closer toward her and his voice is deadly quiet.)

"Mark Andrews has my wife and I am going to go get her. You have two choices here, Irina; you can either tell me everything you know about where Mark Andrews has taken my wife and I'll tell the prosecutor that you voluntarily gave up that information, or you can continue to sit there with your mouth shut and I'll make sure that you spend the rest of your life in solitary confinement in the harshest damned prison on the face of the Earth. I'll make sure that you never see the light of day again. And I CAN make that happen!"

"Your American prisons do not scare me!"

"Who said anything about an American prison? I have friends in the Russian military."

(If possible, Irina Kasavich pales even more and Steve feels a perverse sense of satisfaction shoot through him.)

"Where is my wife?"

(Nothing.)

"Last chance, Irina. . Where is Andrews holding my wife?"

(Again, nothing. His eyes never leaving hers, Steve pulls out his cellular phone, quickly dials a number, and speaks, in flawless Russian, to whoever is on the other end. Irina Kasavich begins to tremble as she listens to Steve's end of the conversation and she has to bite down hard on her lower lip to stop herself from saying anything. Steve concludes his call and leans so close to Irina that there noses are almost touching.)

"You have ten minutes, Irina. Ten. Minutes. If you don't tell me what I want to know by the end of that time, you will simply disappear into the night and God help you!"

(Steve and Danny quickly walk out of the room and leave the shaken woman to contemplate her fate. The moment they are clear of the room, Danny relaxes somewhat and breathes a sigh of relief. Although he never let anyone else see it, Danny was scared to death that Steve was going get physically violent with the woman. Not that it would really have mattered, after everything Irina Kasavich and her family have done to Sam and Steve, Danny's almost ready to inflict some physical violence on someone himself! Kono and Chin are walking into the conference room just about the same time as are Steve and Danny, and Tony is just hanging up the phone with a grim expression on his handsome face. Steve, however, has focused in on Kono and Chin.)

"You two get anything out of Irina's men?"

"Nothing. They claim that Irina was the only one who talked to Mark Andrews and that was on the phone. All she told them was that they were to accompany her to Libby's and Mike's and kill anyone who got between them and Emily."

"Damn it! Tony?"

"My guys found the chip, Boss."

"And? . . "

"Andrews apparently extracted it from Sam at some point. It was found in the bottom of a dumpster in an alley near the docks."

(It is so quiet that you could hear a pin drop and everyone except Steve appears to be devastated. Without the GPS chip, they are completely unable to find Sam's location.)


	148. Chapter 148

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 6, 2012 **

(Wordlessly, Steve calmly sits down in front of one of the many laptops in the room, types in a code, and waits. Thoroughly confused, everyone else looks at Steve and then one another before easing over behind him to look over his shoulder. Slow grins spread across the faces of Danny, Kono, Tony, and Chin as a map of Oahu pops up followed by an inset map of the area around a small airfield on the opposite side of the island, and there they see a stationary, blinking red dot.)

"Sam has a second GPS chip!"

"Well, duh, Tony. It's right there on the screen."

"Don't be an ass, Danny!"

"Hey!"

"Would you two please shut up?"

"Really, Chin?"

"Yes, really, Danny."

"All three of you need to be quiet so Steve can tell us how he wants to run this extraction!"

(And Tony, Danny, and Chin realize that Kono is absolutely correct and dutifully stand by quietly as Steve intently studies the map on the screen . . .

Sam has been alone in the cell she's being held in for nearly four hours and she's angry, scared, frustrated, and is more than ready to kick someone's six; preferably Mark Andrews'. She is sitting on the floor with her arms hugging her knees when she hears Andrews returning and quickly gets to her feet. Sam turns to face the cell door and allows her head to drop forward so that her hair falls around her face and obscures her features as she eases back until she comes in contact with the back of the cell wall. The image she is hoping to project is one of misery and hopelessness. Mark Andrews' feet appear moments later in Sam's line of sight. She has to fight hard to keep from shivering in total revulsion when his smarmy voice reaches her ears.)

"Poor Sam, you look so . . Dejected. Have you finally realized that you are in my complete control and that your loving husband won't be able to find you, after all?"

(But Sam doesn't move nor speak, and Andrews speaks a little more sharply.)

"I found and extracted the GPS chip that was implanted in the back of your neck, Samantha; it's lying at the bottom of a dumpster near the docks. All your husband will find when he homes in on it is a pile of garbage."

(Sam still doesn't move, nor speak, nor acknowledge Andrews' presence in any way, and he is becoming increasingly angry.)

"Did you hear what I said, Samantha? Steve McGarrett will not be able to find you now! You are completely alone! I can do whatever I please with you and no one can stop me!"

(Sam slowly raises her head to look at Andrews and there are tears in her eyes which spill over and slide slowly down her stricken face. Her voice is so soft when she speaks that Andrews has a hard time hearing her.)

"Is my daughter all right?"

"Your daughter is no longer your concern. She belongs to Irina Kasavich now and you'll never see her again. Her OR you husband. You belong to me and you're going to wish you were dead before I turn you over to my friend in Jakarta."

"Go to Hell!"

"That's the Samantha McGarrett I know. You know, even though you were pregnant when we first met, I thought you were magnificent. I well understood why Dimitri Kasavich was so fascinated with you and I decided then and there that I would have you."

"You'll never have me. I belong to one man and one man only just as he belongs to me."

"McGarrett."

"He's twice the man you'll ever be!"

"I'd be very careful if I were you, Samantha; if you make me angry, I'll have to hurt you that much more."

"You are a fool!"

"Samantha!"

"Come on, Andrews, do your worst! I'm not afraid of you and I never will be! You will NEVER take what belongs to Steve; I'll die first!"

"You would, wouldn't you?"

"Yes. _I will die before I allow any man other than Steve McGarrett to touch me!_"

"Poor Samantha. . . If your precious husband were going to ever again be close enough to you to touch you, he'd be here by now, wouldn't he? He's not coming! Didn't you hear what I said? I removed the GPS chip that was implanted in the back of your neck! Your husband has absolutely no idea where you are!"

(But the voice, calm but strong that sounds in the darkness of the warehouse just behind him causes Andrews' blood to turn to ice in his veins as fear begins to coil in his belly.)

"I know exactly where my wife is, Andrews, and, by the time I'm through with you, you're going to wish you'd never been born. . . You okay, Beautiful?"

"I'm good, Sailor. Don't suppose you'd let me out of here before you tear into Andrews?"

"Sorry, Sweetheart, Andrews is all mine."

(And so saying, Steve assumes a defensive stance directly in front of Mark Andrews and allows a slow and very evil grin to spread across his handsome face. Sam has moved to the front of the cell where she has an excellent view of the two men and an expression much like Steve's has formed on her beautiful face. Mark Andrews has begun to sweat, even though he is holding a gun in his hand, and he takes a couple of steps backward as he raises the gun and points it directly at Steve's head. The two men stare at one another for a few moments before Steve leaps in Andrews' direction and the loud report of a gunshot reverberates through the warehouse and into the area immediately outside.)


	149. Chapter 149

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 6, 2012 **

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The story is coming to an end now and I would like to do two things. First, I'd like to apologize to all of you for taking so long to complete this story. I have just gotten back to a point in my life where I can write again after losing my father, and I know this one has taken forever. I very much appreciate your patience and thank you for your continued loyalty to my work. You are all amazing! Second, I have taken the suggestions sent to me in private messages from several of you to heart and hope that the next entry in this series will be what most of you have asked to see. If not, let me know! You all know that I try, very hard, to incorporate my readers' ideas into my storylines when possible, and I will continue to do so. If you see something you like, don't like, want to see added, want to see changed, whatever . . . Please let me know. Reviews are the only reward any of us get for our stories on this site and I greatly appreciate all of you taking the time to write reviews! Love to you all! Michelle**

(In their various positions outside the warehouse building, Danny, Kono, Chin, Tony, and the other SEALs all tense when they hear the gunshot from within. When they first arrived at the warehouse, they were able to quietly and efficiently take out the dozen or so guards Mark Andrews had stationed around his little sanctuary. Once they determined that Andrews was inside the warehouse with Sam, Steve quickly changed the op plan so that he would go in alone and deal with Andrews one on one. All of them know just how badly Steve wants to get his hands on Mark Andrews, but they also know that Andrews is both a dangerous and desperate man and will stop at nothing to get what he wants: Steve dead and Sam far, far away from Hawaii. Now, after hearing the gunshot from inside the warehouse, Danny quickly gives the "go" for everyone to enter the warehouse from different sides of the building. The sight that greets them when they move closer in is one that sets their teeth on edge. Steve and Mark Andrews both have very sharp, very deadly K-bar knives in their hands and they are stalking one another in the small space in front of the cell that holds an extremely tense Sam. They all stop far enough back so that Steve has room to maneuver around his opponent but close enough so that any one of them can kill Andrews with a single gunshot. Senior Chief Newton, having located a set of keys, eases over to the door of the cell and proceeds to try each key until he finds the one that releases the combat-ready woman from the cell. Sam wastes no time in scooping up the gun Steve kicked out of Andrews' hand from where it fell and leveling it on the two men with a determined expression on her face. Danny and Tony, completely independent of one another, run quick, assessing eyes over Sam and are both satisfied that she does indeed appear to be all right. P.O. Nick Landry slips back a little distance from the scene before him, hits a speed dial on his cellular phone, and then hangs up after a brief conversation. He moves back into position just in time to see Steve launch himself at Mark Andrews. Steve has instantly gone into "Super SEAL" mode, and has put everyone and everything except the man directly in front of him out of his mind. His SEAL training has kicked in and he has centered himself; his breathing has slowed considerably, his heart rate has dropped, and a quiet calmness flows through him as his vision narrows to focus only on Mark Andrews. Despite his training as a U.S. Secret Service Agent, Andrews is caught off-guard by Steve's sudden attack. One of Steve's shoulders catches Andrews in the middle of his chest and the impact knocks the knife from Andrew's hand. Only Sam, Danny, and Senior Chief Tim Newton see the slight grin on Steve's face as he tosses his K-bar knife down, as well. Not a one of the three of them doubts that Steve is grinning because he wants to tear Andrews apart with his bare hands and now he can. Quickly using both of his hands to grasp Andrews' wrist, Steve turns and yanks hard causing the other man to go flying over his shoulder to land flat on his back a few feet away. Having had the breath knocked out of him, it takes Andrews a couple of seconds to roll and spring to his feet as Steve circles him with a panther-like grace. Sam, extremely confident in her husband's abilities, lowers the gun to her side but is prepared to quickly pull it up and fire if necessary. The next time the two men, who are beginning to work up a fine sheen of sweat, come together, Mark Andrews manages to sweep Steve's legs out of under him and then attempts to drop his body directly onto Steve's hoping his body weight with crush Steve's chest. Steve, however, isn't about to let that happen and he rolls out of the way a split-second before Andrews lands in the now empty spot on the floor. Twisting his body and using his legs as leverage, Steve flies toward Andrews' momentarily stunned body and wraps both of his muscular arms around the other man's upper torso effectively trapping his arms uselessly at his side. Jerking one of his knees up into Andrews' back and side, Steve places a perfect blow to cause the man a great deal of pain; the blow so hard it may have bruised a kidney. Andrews, however, isn't through, and he snaps his upper body forward breaking Steve's hold and rounds on Steve with a quick fist to his jaw. The blow only serves to piss Steve off even more than he already is and, realizing that he wants Sam in his arms a Hell of a lot more than he wants to continue fighting with Mark Andrews, Steve proceeds to deliver three quick blows to both sides of the other man's face, breaking Andrews' nose and sending blood spewing everywhere and dropping an unconscious Andrews to the floor with the final blow. Steve stands over the man's unconscious form with his chest heaving for about one point two seconds before Sam has flown into his arms not caring in the least that he's covered in blood and sweat. Closing his strong arms around his wife's slender form, Steve buries his face in her hair as he tries to get his breathing under control from his exertions. All around them, people are springing into action by rendering medical assistance to Mark Andrews, securing the scene for the evidence techs, and placing phone calls to key people. Steve and Sam McGarrett, however, could care less what the others are doing; the only thing important to either of them is getting as close to the other as they can and holding the other as tightly as possible.)


	150. Chapter 150

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTY**

**Title: "Salvation: Forever and Always: Our Love, Our Legacy"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #8 in the Salvation series. The Five-0 family face challenges that make them all re-evaluate their lives.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 6, 2012 **

(Steve has a few aches and bruises and knows he's going to be sore in a few places in the next day or so, but he could care less. He has _his_ Sam back in his arms where she belongs and the threat to her and their daughter has been effectively eliminated. Shifting slightly, he gently touches the side of her beautiful face and forces her gaze up to meet his. He is not the least bit surprised to find tears shimmering in her emerald green eyes and he bends his head to hers and captures her mouth in a kiss so sweet it causes more tears to flood her eyes and slide down her face. When Steve finally lifts his head from Sam's, there are unshed tears glittering in his eyes, as well. Now that both Irina Kasavich and Mark Andrews have been taken into custody and the immediate threat has been eliminated, the adrenaline that had been coursing through Steve's bloodstream has faded away and the full import of what _could _have happened to his family hits him squarely in the heart. Although he doesn't dare let anyone, including Sam, know it, his knees are close to giving way and he's fighting mighty hard to keep the inner trembling he's experiencing from showing outwardly. Sam, however, is well aware of what her husband is feeling because she experienced a good, healthy dose of the same thing during her captivity. Looking up into his incredible eyes, she gently uses both hands to pull his mouth back to hers for another incredibly sweet kiss, infusing every ounce of love into the act that she possibly can. It is only when the soft whimpers of their daughter reach their ears that Sam and Steve pull apart and turn toward the sound. Libby is standing less than three feet from them holding little Emily in her arms. Both Sam and Steve feel fresh tears flood their eyes as Sam cradles the tiny baby in her arms and Steve enfolds them both in a protective embrace. Emily is hungry and doesn't fail to let everyone present know it and Sam laughs through her tears as Steve ushers her into an office at one side of the building so she can nurse their daughter closing the door behind the three of them. . . .

A little later, when Sam, Steve, and little Emily finally emerge from the office, Emily now sleeping peacefully in her Daddy's arms, they find Sam's parents talking with Danny a few feet from the door. The sight of Libby Thrasher, wearing black pants and a black tank top with a Glock tucked neatly in the back waistband of her pants, her reddish-gold hair pulled up in a ponytail and a "mess with me; I dare you" expression on her face causes both her daughter and son-in-law to grin as they join their family.)

"Okay, so is everything taken care of here, Danny? 'Cause, if it is, I'm going to take Sam and Emily home and then I'll head to the Palace."

"Whoa, hold up there, Cowboy. Everything's been taken care of here and Kono, Chin, and I will take care of things at the Palace. Tony and Mike have things under control at the base and the Marines have Irina Kasavich, Mark Andrews, and everyone who was working for them locked up in the Brig. You, my friend, certainly are going to take your wife and daughter home, but you're going to stay there with them for the next, oh, I don't know, the next two days, at least."

"Did you just give me an order?"

"Yeah, I think I did."

"Danny. Really?"

"Yes, Steven, really. Take your family home and stay with them. I got this."

"You've got this? In case you've forgotten, you moron, the Governor appointed _me _Head of this Task Force!"

"Did you just call me a 'moron' again?"

(Although Sam is trying her best to smother the giggle that's threatening to escape her, she's not doing a very good job of it and a very unlady-like snort escapes her. Libby, thoroughly disgusted with the lot of them, steps between her two sons-in-law and places a firm hand on each man's chest.)

"Now, boys, I realize that we've all just been through a rather harrowing experience, but if the two of you start fighting again, _I_ will finish it for you. Am I clear?"

"Um, yes, Ma'am."

"Very clear, Libby."

"All righty then. Steve, dear, take Sam and Emily home and stay there. The three of you need some time together without anyone else pestering you and you can have that time now. Danny, you go right on down to the Palace and do whatever it is you need to do so that Steve doesn't have to go down there. All right, Sweetie? Your father and I are going home and see about Rosa. That poor woman has absolutely been tied up in knots ever since she came into our family and I want her to know that everyone and everything is all right now. Oh, and Danny, don't forget to call your wife, dear. You remember what happened the last time you forgot to let Caroline know something important."

(And before any of the younger people can say a word, Libby and Mike are out the door and on the way to their SUV. Exchanging amused glances, Steve and Danny shake hands, Sam gives her brother-in-law a surprisingly strong hug, and Uncle Danny bends over to place a soft kiss on Emily's little head. In a matter of minutes, Steve has little Emily securely buckled into her car seat in his truck, which Libby and Mike brought to the warehouse, and he has Sam's hand firmly in his as he drives them all home. . .

Taking his mother-in-law's most excellent advice, Danny pulls out his cellular phone and hits the speed dial for his wife. Caroline answers on the second ring.)

"Danny?"

"They're fine, Sweetheart. Sam, Steve, and Emily are all just fine and they're on their way home right now."

"Thank God! What about Andrews?"

"He's in custody; all the bad guys are in custody, Caroline. The threat from the Kasavich family is gone for good. Listen, I've got to take care of some things, but I'll be home as soon as I can."

"I know you will. . I love you, Danny."

"I love you, too, Gorgeous."

(Caroline hits the "end" button on her cellular phone and allows it to slowly slip through her fingers to drop softly on the thick carpet covering the floor of the master bedroom. Caroline, her face tear-stained, is sitting on the floor with her back propped against the foot of the bed. In her free hand, she holds the home pregnancy test that, once again, indicates that she is NOT pregnant. Her heart is shredding into a million pieces at the thought of not being able to have a child; of not being able to give Danny another child, maybe a son this time. Maybe she's been so concerned about her sister that she hasn't been able to conceive. Maybe, now that all is right with their family again, she can truly relax and it will happen. Maybe . . . Who is she kidding? She, Caroline Thrasher Williams, is never going to be able to conceive, let alone carry a baby to term. Her mother told her that the four miscarriages she suffered before Caroline was born wasn't something she would have to worry about, and Lt. Cmdr. Denning told her she was healthy and there was no reason she and Danny couldn't have children, but . . . But they've been trying for quite some time now, and she still isn't pregnant. Caroline's gaze lands on the framed picture of her holding little Emily at the hospital right after the baby's birth, and hot tears of sorrow slide, unchecked, down her face.)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Story #8 in the Salvation series is not complete. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it although it did "get away" from me and took on a life of its own! As you can see with this ending, the next installment will focus on problems and concerns that are more personal for our ohana. Thank you all so very much for reading my work. I am greatly humbled by all of the kind words I have received from you in the past and promise you that I will do my best to keep you entertained in the future! Michelle**


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